Sean OโMalley recently lost his UFC bantamweight title to Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 306. Coach Tim Welch got a lot of heat online for โpoor coachingโ and โcorner workโ. However, Welch has assured fans that the former bantamweight champion will return a stronger and better grappler.
Sean OโMalleyโs long-time coach Tim Welch recently sat down for an episode of Red Hawk Recap. He was joined by the MMA Guru, Joe Riggs, and producer Schmitty who recently went viral for his outburst on the Timbo Suga Show. There they talked about OโMalleyโs title loss at UFC 306. Welch revealed that they would work out ways to โcreate scramblesโ off the takedowns that cost โSugaโ his bantamweight title.
I swear. I truly believe that it’s going to light a fire. And it’s going to wake a whole new demon from Sean.
Tim Welch on Red Hawk Recap
At UFC 306, Sean OโMalley lost his bantamweight title to Merab Dvalishvili via unanimous decision. The fight took place in Las Vegas. It was largely dominated by Dvalishvili, who imposed his wrestling and high-pressure pace throughout the fight. OโMalley managed to hurt Dvalishvili in the final round with body kicks, but it was not enough to sway the judgesโ decision.ย
Initially, OโMalley seemed to take the loss in stride. He expressed his disappointment in not delivering on his promise but assured fans that he would come back stronger. However, in the days following the fight, OโMalley began to question the decision. He took to social media, arguing that he won three of the five rounds and contested the narrative that he had been dominated.
Ilia Topuria declares Sean OโMalley is no longer on his level to deserve a fight
UFC featherweight champion Ilia Topuria recently shut down speculation about a potential fight with Sean OโMalley, following OโMalleyโs defeat at UFC 306. Before the event, there was buzz around the possibility of a super fight between Topuria and OโMalley. The idea of a champion vs. champion fight was intriguing to many fans.
However, OโMalleyโs loss has essentially ended the momentum for that matchup. In an interview via Marca following UFC 306, Topuria made it clear that he has no interest in pursuing a fight with OโMalley now. He argued that there is no point in fighting someone who is not at his level.ย
You get defeated even before you get into the Octagon with me. I donโt even need to get in there for people to know that Iโm better than you.
Ilia Topuria on Marca
Instead, Topuria has shifted his attention to his upcoming title defense against Max Holloway at UFC 308 this October. This fight is seen as a major test for Topuria, as Holloway is a UFC legend and former champion. For now, Topuria is focused on adding another significant name to his resume, rather than entertaining the idea of a fight with OโMalley.