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UFC News: Merab Dvalishvili Reveals Title Shot Plans Against Sean O'Malley

Merab Dvalishvili says he will get his title fight later this year.

Zain Bando

Mar 11, 2023; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Merab Dvalshvili (blue gloves) reacts after fighting Petr Yan
Mar 11, 2023; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Merab Dvalshvili (blue gloves) reacts after fighting Petr Yan / Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

(Image credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports)

Merab Dvalishvili has unveiled plans for his next fight, and it's a big one.

Speaking on the UFC 301 post-fight show via UFC India, Dvalishvili, a winner of 10 of his 12 Octagon appearances and three of his last four overall, said he plans to fight as part of UFC 306 at the Sphere on Sept. 14 against Sean O'Malley for the bantamweight strap.

Dvalishvili's comments have not been confirmed by promotional officials at press time.

READ MORE: UFC 301 Free Live Stream Results & Highlights - Pantoja vs. Erceg

"Yes," Dvalishvili said when asked to confirm that his next fight would be against O'Malley.

His answer comes just days after a post surfaced on Instagram asking for the O'Malley title shot.

"@sugasean Make this fight happen on Mexican Independence Day, September 14th at The Sphere..right here in Las Vegas," Dvalishvili wrote. "Vamos."

It is unknown whether or not the card will feature Dvalishvili and O'Malley as headliners, as the event is still being planned. However, it is important to note that the international appeal will likely be high, given that it's also being dubbed "Noche UFC 2."

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Nevertheless, if Dvalishvili's words hold firm, he will finally get his long-awaited title shot he has been clamoring at for almost four years, one he would not accept if Aljamain Sterling, his teammate, was still the champion.

Now, that is no longer the case, as Sterling made the transition to 145 pounds and competed at that weight for the first time at UFC 300 last month.

For now, the MMA world awaits O'Malley vs. Dvalishvili as the next bantamweight title fight, as a new era may emerge.

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Zain Bando

ZAIN BANDO

Zain Bando is a writer for MMA Knockout, part of Fan Nation and the Sports Illustrated/The Arena Group umbrella. He has covered combat sports since 2019 for notable outlets BJPenn.com and FanSided MMA.  He also co-hosts a podcast called "The MMA Outsiders," part of the Empty The Bench Podcast Network, which airs Tuesday nights at 7:00 p.m. ET/4:00 p.m. PT.  A Chicago suburban native, Bando has been enthralled with MMA since 2006 and has been fortunate to attend some of the most high-profile events in the sport's history, both as a fan and media member, including UFC 264, Bellator 297 and Kayla Harrison's PFL MMA debut. He is excited to take the next step in his combat sports writing journey and looks forward to continuing his following of the fight game for years to come. Bando can be reached via email at zainbando99@gmail.com or by social media @zainbando99.