Merab Dvalishvili isn’t letting emotions get the best of him ahead of UFC 306, but he’s not holding back about what pushed his buttons with Sean O’Malley.
In the build-up to his first title shot, Dvalishvili didn’t just fire shots at O’Malley—he also aimed at O’Malley’s head coach, Tim Welch. Yet, the Georgian fighter made it clear that his frustration with O’Malley comes down to a single social media post that crossed the line.
O’Malley once tweeted, “Are all Georgians runts?” tagging both Dvalishvili and fellow Georgian, UFC featherweight champ Ilia Topuria. For Dvalishvili, this wasn’t just trash talk—it felt like a direct insult to his homeland.
“That really got me,” Dvalishvili said at the UFC 306 media day. “It’s not personal, but I was furious when he disrespected my country. Georgia is everything to me. I fight to represent my country, and when someone disrespects it, you can’t just stand by. It’s like someone insulting your family. I wanted to smack his face.”
Despite the fire that O’Malley’s words ignited, Dvalishvili insists that his focus is now on the fight, not personal vendettas. He knows better than to let emotions derail his title ambitions.
Though O’Malley’s comment still stings, Dvalishvili is determined to keep his cool and deliver a professional performance on fight night. After that, the door remains open for a post-fight chat—maybe even some forgiveness.
“Right now, the goal is to take that belt,” Dvalishvili said. “Afterwards, we can talk, maybe I forgive him, maybe not. But for now, it’s just business. I’m going to show him respect comes through actions, not words.”