Sean O’Malley appears to have a specific game plan if he takes on Merab Dvalishvili for his next UFC title defense. 

“Suga” is coming off a decision victory over Marlon “Chito” Vera at UFC 299. That victory marked O’Malley’s first successful defense of his UFC bantamweight title, and it also avenged the previous loss he suffered to Vera in 2020. 

All signs point to #1-ranked Dvalishvili as being next in line to challenge O’Malley, and the UFC bantamweight king recently shared a hilarious clip of how he’s preparing to deal with the Georgian’s stifling pressure. 

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A post shared by The TimboSugarshow (@thetimbosugarshow)

It isn’t just O’Malley with the comedy, as Dvalishvili has also been active with his own antics on social media as he attempts to campaign for his first shot at UFC gold. 

You can run … but you can’t hide. 🦾 #sixyearsofcallouts pic.twitter.com/e35VVLZLD0

— Merab “The Machine” Dvalishvili (@MerabDvalishvil) March 29, 2024

The 33-year-old could have already fought for the bantamweight belt if his teammate Aljamain Sterling hadn’t previously held the title. With Sterling set for his featherweight debut at UFC 300, Dvalishvili can avenge his friend’s loss to O’Malley if that matchup does come together.

The UFC still hasn’t made any concrete plans for O’Malley’s next title defense, but given that “Suga” has turned into a significant star the promotion will likely try to get him back into action sooner rather than later. 

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