Sean O’Malley isn’t backing down from Merab Dvalishvili’s latest warning on social media! The two are set to clash for the bantamweight title at UFC 306 or ‘Riyadh Season Noche UFC’ at ‘The Sphere’ in Las Vegas on September 14. There is already ‘beef’ between the pair as Dvalishvili is determined to avenge his friend and training partner, Aljamain Sterling’s loss at the hands of O’Malley at UFC 292.

‘Suga’ has also been firing shots at Dvalishvili on social media but now Dvalishvili has come out with a bold statement over the champion’s latest salvo. The issue? ‘The Machine’ believes O’Malley has crossed a line by ‘disrespecting’ his country, but O’Malley, instead of apologizing had a cheeky response for the title challenger!

Sean O’Malley brushes off Merab Dvalishvili’s threats on social media 

Sean O’Malley is an expert in ‘trolling’ his opponents by getting under their skin with his comments. In a recent post made on X, he had targeted Ilia Topuria and Merab Dvalishvili, by asking “Are all Georgians runts? @illia @MerabDvalishvili”

But Merab Dvalishvili didn’t appreciate the jab at all. So how did he respond? By warning O’Malley on X, “You want to disrespect me – this is one thing – we will be professional and settle it in the cage… but now you and your coach crossed the line and disrespected my country. You will pay for this when I see you outside of the cage.”

‘The Machine’ recently made waves in the MMA sphere when he took offense at a heckler and despite having a title fight lined up, jumped into the audience to confront the man at the CJI (Craig Jones Invitational). As such, his comments about wanting to “see” O’Malley “outside the cage” may not be just an empty threat.

But Sean O’Malley wasn’t impressed at all, by the warning or the threat of an altercation after the fight. In a response to Dvalishvili’s post, he fired back by stating, “I thought Georgia was a state my bad.” 

This verbal sparring has only added fuel to the already blazing rivalry, turning their bout into one of the most anticipated events of the year. However, the champion is confident that on fight night, Merab Dvalishvili won’t be able to handle the firepower coming back at him from ‘The Suga Show’!

‘Suga’ confident in his ability to find Dvalishvili’s “chin” and end the fight

Merab Dvalishvili is known for his relentless grappling, a skill that has left many of his opponents tangled in a web of frustration. Even Olympic gold medalist and former ‘champ-champ’ Henry Cejudo. So what does the ‘Suga Show’ think about the challenge ‘The Machine’ brings to the table?

Speaking to ESPN, a supremely confident Sean O’Malley stated, “I don’t think he’s going to test my wrestling. I don’t think he’s going to be able to.”  And then there’s the talk of endurance. Could O’Malley go the distance in a grueling five-round fight?

His clash with Marlon ‘Chito’ Vera settled that question. O’Malley didn’t just survive; he thrived, proving that his stamina was as formidable as his striking. As such, the champion further shared, “I believe if I find Merab’s chin the way I was finding ‘Chito’s’ chin, the way I found Aljo’s chin, I’m going to get him out of there.”

While the Georgian grappler has made it clear that this fight is about more than just the title, Sean O’Malley seems to relish the added pressure, certain that his precision and power will once again prove decisive. Do you think Sean O’Malley will be able to deliver another thunderous KO against ‘The Machine’? And will their feud spill out outside the Octagon as Dvalishvili has indicated? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!