Merab Dvalishvili Assures Minor Cut Won’t Jeopardize Sean O’Malley Fight

Merab Dvalishvili won’t let a cut stand between him the opportunity to win the Ultimate Fighting Championship bantamweight title.

Dvalishvili challenges Sean O'Malley for the bantamweight title in the main event at UFC 306 on Sept. 14 in a one-of-a-kind card at the Sphere in Las Vegas. The challenger revealed a cut on his left eyelid less than month to go before fight night, immediately raising O’Malley’s concern.

Warning Dvalishvili to not pull out of the fight, the champ wrote on X: “This little f—in rat better not pull out I swear to God.”



However, Dvalishvili assured O’Malley and fans that his upcoming Noche UFC fight won’t be jeopardized by the cut. Dvalishvili claims to have never pulled out of a fight, and he certainly won’t let a cut change that going into the biggest matchup of his life thus far.

“Calm down — it’s all good— just a little training injury,” Dvalishvili wrote on Instagram. “Never pulled out of a fight and never will! I’m coming for you O’Malley — stronger than ever. Vamos!”

Dvalishvili subsequently uploaded another video where he was seen hitting the mitts while still cut on the eyelid in his third session of the day. Dvalishvili suggested it’s the ones “talking too much” who are weak and might be looking for excuses to avoid the fight.

“Sept. 14 I’m coming. Sean O’Malley, you’re in big trouble my friend,” he wrote. Stop talking too much bro. You know I’m dangerous. You know what’s gonna happen, you already know. I wanna tell all these people everything is good. This is my third training session today. I got little cut today but this is part of the training… I'm here in the gym 24/7 guys. I’m working. You think this little cut's gonna stop me? I don't understand. I guess you guys are weak and you guys are making excuses, whoever talking too much.”