Sean O’Malley might have found Merab Dvalishvili’s kryptonite.
UFC 316 is right around the corner with champion Merab Dvalishvili set to defend his title against Sean O’Malley on Saturday in Newark, New Jersey.
It won’t be the first time they’ve fought as Dvalishvili dethroned then champ O’Malley at UFC 306 last September. Dvalishvili outworked O’Malley across five rounds to win via unanimous decision.
Dvalishvili claimed he was ‘taking it easy’ on O’Malley in their first fight, planning to finish ‘Suga’ in the rematch.
O’Malley has his hands full in the upcoming matchup with Dvalishvili’s pressure-heavy wrestling style and the cardio to back it.
While O’Malley was largely unsuccessful at UFC 306, one ex-UFC star believes O’Malley exposed a weakness in Dvalishvili late into their fight.
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Dan Hardy says Sean O’Malley should damage Merab Dvalishvili’s mid-section
Former UFC title challenger and analyst Dan Hardy noticed O’Malley hurt Dvalishvili in round 5 with a front kick to the body that had him circling around the Octagon.
The kick landed with 90 seconds left in the title fight and after a few more kicks, Dvalishvili took a look to the clock.
“He needs to be more proactive in trying to find finishes,” Hardy said of O’Malley on his War Room breakdown.
“That last round went the way that it did with the front kick to the midsection and Merab being hurt and looking up at the clock, I mean, that was a dead giveaway.
“The obvious target for Merab is his midsection.
“I think O’Malley realized there was another route to victory other than landing a clean punch on the chin, and that was damaging his body.
“That’s where Sean O’Malley needs to be proactive. Front kicks to the midsection are gonna be the obvious way for Sean O’Malley to open this. If he can do damage, he can sap the gas tank of Merab. Those front kicks will chain very well with knees up the midsection, which are very good for people that level change constantly.”
“You have to slow those kind of fighters down and damage them in ways that they kinda can’t psychologically deny,” Hardy said of how to beat Dvalishvili.
Dan Hardy predicts Sean O’Malley to win with ‘something clean’
Dvalishvili’s cardio is considered the best in the UFC and body shots may be the key to taking it out at UFC 316.
Of course, O’Malley’s got to get past Dvalishvili’s wrestling and whatever else he has planned for him on Saturday night.
While Hardy could see the fight going in Dvalishvili’s favor again, ‘The Outlaw’ will have to ride with O’Malley in the rematch.
“O’Malley’s got the skills and the technique to be able to put Merab away,” Hardy said.
“If Merab plays the right game, he should be able to maul and drown O’Malley…”
“Having said that, I think we’re gonna get a rubber match,” Hardy added.
“I feel like O’Malley might steal this one with something clean as Merab is overextending himself.”