UFC 306 saw former bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley 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 Nurmagomedov‘s 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 O’Malley’s head coach Tim Welch. Known for his grappling prowess and relentless fighting style, Umar poses a major challenge. The coach emphasized that Nurmagomedov’s 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.
Umar’s going to give that guy serious f*cking issues… 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. [I’d rather have] the Merab fight, we need to get that one back. We know that’s a winnable fight.
Tim Welch via Youtube
Team Khabib’s Islam Makhachev has been vocal in challenging Dvalishvili’s 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 O’Malley vs. Sterling fight. This continued in the recent title fight between O’Malley and Dvalishvili at UFC 306.
Controversial coach called out for ‘cheap antics’ during Merab Dvalishvili vs. Sean O’Malley fight
During the highly anticipated fight between Dvalishvili and O’Malley, a controversy arose involving O’Malley’s coach, Tim Welch. Welch was called out for his “cheap antics” after he was heard shouting misleading instructions toward Dvalishvili. Welch’s intention seemed to be to confuse the Georgian by providing advice typically meant for his own corner.
Controversial coach Tim Welch called out for ‘cheap antics’ during Merab Dvalishvili vs. Sean O’Malley (via Instagram)The incident escalated when Dvalishvili briefly stopped to glance at O’Malley’s 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.
Tim Welch speaks on what he said to Merab Dvalishvili at the beginning of the fight:
“What I said to Merab was, ‘Merab you need to be patient’, and that’s when he freaked out and started bucking himself around.”
“I guess there is an excessive coaching, but I told Herb Dean some… pic.twitter.com/pWLv7dCulF
— FightCrack (@FightCrack) September 16, 2024
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.
