What happens when a knockout artist meets a relentless grappler in the Octagon? UFC 306 is about to deliver the answer. Bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley is set to return to Las Vegas, gearing up for his second title defense of the year. Standing across from him? None other than Merab Dvalishvili, the Georgian wrecking machine riding a ten-fight winning streak and hungry for gold.

‘Suga’ O’Malley faces arguably the toughest challenge of his career. Experts are buzzing, with many believing that Dvalishvili’s relentless pace and suffocating pressure could overwhelm the flashy striker. Some even question if O’Malley can handle the speed and ferocity of his opponent. But the champ? He’s not sweating it. Unfazed by the doubters, O’Malley is laser-focused on proving why he wears the crown—and he’s ready to silence anyone who thinks otherwise when the cage door slams shut at UFC 306.

This is a classic striker vs. grappler showdown, and when these two collide, expect fireworks. The question is: who leaves with the belt?

Sean O’Malley feels he will surprise Merab Dvalishvili with his fighting style

There are very few fighters in the UFC who have had a rise like Merab Dvalishvili in the bantamweight division. After losing his first two fights in the UFC, ‘The Machine’ has evolved himself as a fighter. The 33-year-old has earned himself a title shot after some consistent performances inside the Octagon against top-class fighters. One of his biggest strengths is his ability to keep the pressure on round after round, mainly because of his supreme conditioning. O’Malley respects that his opponent is a great fighter but feels he will surprise him in their upcoming clash.

The 29-year-old recently sat down for a chat with ‘TMZ Sports’ on their YouTube channel to share his insight about his upcoming fight. One of the biggest concerns for many is whether he can match up to the style of the Georgian fighter. O’Malley is one of the most confident fighters in the UFC, and his response is a testament to that. He said, “I would say stylistically I am a nightmare matchup for Merab.” There is no doubt that the Montana Native is one of the most lethal strikers in the division. However, he will be tested in terms of his wrestling skills, as Dvalishvili made it clear he will test him out on the ground for most of the fight.

Over the years, Sean O’Malley has made a lot of fans because of his skill set and fighting IQ. One such fan is former UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson. The 38-year-old recently took to his YouTube channel to analyze O’Malley’s last fight against Marlon Vera and seemed highly impressed with him. He then pointed out the biggest advantage ‘Suga’ will have in his battle against Dvalishvili.

Demetrious Johnson is super impressed with Sean O’Malley and his skill set

Sean O’Malley, the reigning UFC champion, has time and again claimed that he is the best striker in the UFC at the moment. While he does have lethal striking, there’s one more aspect of his game that makes him dangerous, and that’s distance management. Former UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson took to his YouTube channel to analyze his previous fight at UFC 299. ‘Suga’ took on Marlon Vera for his first title defense and dominated the fight after losing his previous fight against him.

One of the eye-catching moments of the fight came in the second round when the champ caught ‘Chito’ flush on his chin with a brutal knee. ‘Mighty Mouse’ broke down the moments before the knee and credited O’Malley for setting him up. He said, “He’s [Sean O’Malley is] a master of the Void [distance management]. There’s a void right here [describing O’Malley’s UFC 299 fight with ‘Chito’ Vera], he wants ‘Chito’ to come across the distance and overextend so he can capitalize on it.” ‘DJ’ then pointed out that his distance management will be one of his biggest strengths during his clash at UFC 306.

Johnson further added, “And this is what makes Sean so dangerous”. Both fighters have a massive difference in their fighting style, making the battle even more interesting. The margin for error in the clash is very small, and the pair is aware of that. Dvalishvili recently posted a video of him facing a cut above his eye, but it was not as severe as revealed later on. Will O’Malley be able to capitalize on the minor injury faced by ‘The Machine’? Let us know about it in the comments below.