UFC 306 saw former bantamweight champion Sean OโMalley lose his title to the Georgian Merab Dvalishvili. The loss came as a shock, as Suga was dominated throughout the fight. Dvalishvili is now pushed by the UFC to face Khabib Nurmagomedovโs cousin and #2 ranked Umar Nurmagomedov. This comes after heavy criticism for The Machine, who seemed uninterested in the Chechen at the post-fight interview at UFC 306.
This has invited fair warning from the UFC roster, including OโMalleyโs head coach Tim Welch. Known for his grappling prowess and relentless fighting style, Umar poses a major challenge. The coach emphasized that Nurmagomedovโs skills in wrestling and striking make him a formidable opponent, as he is undefeated with six wins and with the legacy of his family behind him.
Umarโs going to give that guy serious f*cking issuesโฆ Umar’s going to be able to negate where he holds people down and cooks the clock. He puts his weight on you and makes you carry his weight. Umar is not going to accept those positions. [Iโd rather have] the Merab fight, we need to get that one back. We know thatโs a winnable fight.
Tim Welch via Youtube
Team Khabibโs Islam Makhachev has been vocal in challenging Dvalishviliโs stance. Warning him that he cannot avoid a fight with Umar for long. Coach Javier Mendez criticized Dvalishvili for disregarding Umar as a challenger. Arguing that Dvalishvili should focus on defending his title against worthy opponents rather than trying to choose easy opponents.
Controversial coach Welch has firmed his warning on fighting Umar, posing him as one of the biggest threats in the division. Welch has been under a lot of heat since his antics in the OโMalley vs. Sterling fight. This continued in the recent title fight between OโMalley and Dvalishvili at UFC 306.
Controversial coach called out for โcheap anticsโ during Merab Dvalishvili vs. Sean OโMalley fight
During the highly anticipated fight between Dvalishvili and OโMalley, a controversy arose involving OโMalleyโs coach, Tim Welch. Welch was called out for his โcheap anticsโ after he was heard shouting misleading instructions toward Dvalishvili. Welchโs intention seemed to be to confuse the Georgian by providing advice typically meant for his own corner.
The incident escalated when Dvalishvili briefly stopped to glance at OโMalleyโs corner in confusion in the first round. This caused a temporary halt in the bout as referee Herb Dean stepped in to assess the situation. This tactic was widely criticized by both fans and analysts. Some commentators called it a desperate move, especially since Dvalishvili was in control of the fight and showed no signs of losing under pressure.
Despite the distraction, Dvalishvili managed to stay focused and ultimately dominated the fight, securing a unanimous decision victory. Welch later defended his actions, claiming it was all part of the psychological warfare that comes with high-stakes MMA.