Merab Dvalishvili is a fantastic competitor, with a UFC champion claiming the fighter has something over everyone Sean O’Malley has ever faced.
Later tonight, the Georgian will attempt to beat ‘Suga’ for a second time, when they go to war in the main event of UFC 316 inside the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, USA.
Thus far into his career, ‘The Machine’ has proven himself to be an absolute animal inside the cage, overwhelming his opponents with relentless grappling attacks. Incredibly, Dvalishvili has already attempted more takedowns than Khabib Nurmagomedov.
However, it’s not just his physical skills that give him the edge over his rivals.
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Tom Aspinall says Merab Dvalishvili has a different mindset to Sean O’Malley’s previous opponents
Tom Aspinall is remarkably impressed by what Merab Dvalishvili brings to the table, explaining an area where the 135-pound King excels inside the cage.
And it’s not just the Georgian’s fight IQ that has caught the Englishman’s attention, but his phenomenal attitude.
On an episode of Fight Lab, the UFC interim heavyweight champion explained: “What Merab does is he just brings that unbelievable pressure.
“He goes backwards a fair bit, and Sean O’Malley claims this space, which is exactly what he should do, but I think what he does really well is he gets under the strikes, but when he misses his takedowns he’ll come to the side, he’ll throw, and he’ll go again.
“Technicalities aside, it’s the mentality with Merab that makes him so different to the other opponents.”
Sean O’Malley has watched one of Conor McGregor’s fights to prepare for UFC 316
When O’Malley first crossed paths with Dvalishvili, he had little to no answer to his foe’s wrestling game.
However, while he may have lost the first contest convincingly, in a testament to his fighting spirit, he’s determined to bounce back in the rematch.
Over the last few months, the American has gone above and beyond to construct a game plan that can secure the victory.
In addition, O’Malley has been taking inspiration from one of Conor McGregor’s biggest fights.