UFC bantamweight king Sean O’Malley is just a day away from his second title defense against top-ranked contender Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 306: Riyadh Season Noche, scheduled to take place at The Sphere. Dvalishvili, who has long set his sights on this title, enters the octagon intending to avenge the defeat of his best friend, Aljamain Sterling, a former champion whom O’Malley dethroned in 2023.

However, this event is different for Sean O’Malley. This time, he is not only fighting to defend his title but also to uphold the honor of his Mexican wife and her daughter, as recently reported by a renowned Mexican MMA journalist.

Sean O’Malley will fight to uphold the honor of his wife

Back in March 2024, Sean O’Malley surprised everyone by asking UFC head honcho Dana White to print the Mexican flag on his bantamweight title belt after defending his title for the first time against Marlon Vera. This request had MMA fans confused, as ‘Suga’ has no direct relation to Mexico. The reason behind this remained a mystery until, when Carlos Contreras Legaspi, an MMA writer from ESPN Deportes, disclosed it through Instagram.

Legaspi wrote, “Sean O’Malley’s updated ‘Sugar’ belt @sugasean with the flag of Mexico (in honor of his wife Dayna and daughter Elena)”. He further explained the significance of the Mexican flag’s colors. He stated, “The green stone represents his championship win against Aljamain Sterling at UFC 299, and the red signifies his defense against Chito Vera at UFC 292.”

However, Sean O’Malley is not the only one embracing a Mexican connection this year on the eve of Mexican Independence Day week. His opponent, Merab Dvalishvili, is also working to build his popularity with the Mexican audience in hopes of gaining their support before his showdown against O’Malley.

Merab Dvalishvili has turned Mexican ahead of his fight at UFC 306 Noche

Georgian phenom Merab Dvalishvili is currently at the peak of his career, riding a remarkable 10-fight winning streak. He has derailed big names in the bantamweight division, such as Petr Yan and Henry Cejudo, earning his shot at the UFC bantamweight title. Now, with just a day away from the biggest fight of his career, Dvalishvili already possesses the skill, agility, and luck he needs. What remains is the support of the Mexican audience, who will be at the Sphere this Saturday evening.

To gain a mental edge over his rival, Sean O’Malley, Dvalishvili has embraced Mexican nationality casually for UFC Noche. In a UFC 306 pre-fight interview, Dvalishvili declared himself Mexican, saying, “I’m going to make Mexicans happy because the Mexican people need to feel proud. I’m going to make Mexico proud; I represent Mexico. Let’s go, guys!”

What are your thoughts on Sean O’Malley’s decision to add the Mexican flag to his belt? Do you think it will help him gain support from the Mexican audience, or will it sway support towards Merab Dvalishvili? Drop your opinion in the comments below.