Coach Tim Welch says we’re “pretty close” to a UFC title fight between Sean O’Malley and Merab Dvalishvili being announced as he teases a rare finish for Suga.
Following Sean O’Malley’s near-perfect shut-out of Marlon Vera earlier this year, both the UFC brass and MMA fanbase knew exactly who would be next in line – and we could be just a few weeks away from that fight being announced.
Sean O’Malley’s next title defense to be announced soon
Whilst we’ve known for some time that Merab Dvalishvili would be next in line for ‘Suga’, it was always going to take a few weeks for the post-UFC 299 medical suspensions and contract negotiations to work themselves out.
Thankfully, in an interview via The Schmo YouTube channel, coach Tim Welch now shared that the UFC are “getting pretty close” to confirming an official date and location for Sean O’Malley vs Merab Dvalishvili.
“I mean no contracts are signed yet but that looks like what’s going to be next,” and that’s not to say that the game planning hasn’t already started behind the scenes.
In fact, Welch also teased that fans could be in for a shock finish, should Dvalishvili repeatedly shoot takedowns against his much taller pupil.
Coach Tim Welch sees a surprising finish for O’Malley
With 11 of his 18 wins coming by way of KO/TKO, coach Tim Welch acknowledged that “there’s a very good chance Sean knocks him out because Merab is the crazy type” who will attempt to force a takedown, even when it’s not readily there.
“He’s going to rush in, he’s going to force a takedown and when you’re forcing anything against the suga show, there’s a good chance [that] you’re going to be waking up looking at the lights.”
Yet with such a significant height and reach advantage, Welch noted that it wouldn’t be disastrous if the fight went to the ground in either circumstance, and perhaps it would be welcomed:
“Merab is going to have a hell of a time tracking sugar down and a hell of a time grabbing a hold of him, and when he does get a hold of him, then we get to show a whole new game that we’ve been saving for an opponent like this, Sean’s ground game.”
“No one’s had the skills to be able to get him to the ground,” said Welch – O’Malley has two submission wins on his professional MMA record, both of which came in 2015, with a further two wins via sub during his time as an amateur.
At least Merab’s comedy skit videos are being received well
Over the past few months, Merab Dvalishvili has been taking the internet by storm with his comedy skits and parodies on social media – in addition to a humorous feud with Paulo Costa over stealing each other’s food parcels at the UFC PI.
Multiple skits have featured the Georgian sensation parodying Sean O’Malley with a body-double and whilst some coaches might have taken offense, Welch admits that it’s good to see Dvalishvili’s personality come to the forefront.
“I think they’re doing a good job; they found a fella who looked similar to Suga and I’m enjoying it – I hope they keep it up.”
Should O’Malley earn a victory in his next title defense, what could be next? Well, there’s a potential super-fight later down the line with Welch noting, “Who wouldn’t want to see Ilia vs the Suga Show?”
A reminder that following Ilia Topuria’s KO victory over Alexander Volkanovski, O’Malley also called for a private jet to Spain and a shot at champ-champ status in El Matador’s backyard.