- Sean OโMalley defends his UFC bantamweight title against Merab Dvalishvili in the main event of UFC 306.
- OโMalley rides a six-fight win streak, while Dvalishvili has won 10 straight fights.
- OโMalley is the -140 betting favorite, and Dvalishvili is the +115 betting underdog.
The UFC will be headlining its first event at The Sphere in Las Vegas on Sept. 14 with the UFC bantamweight title fight between defending champion Sean OโMalley and challenger and No. 1-ranked divisional contender Merab Dvalishvili for UFC 306.
It's the fight week we've all been waiting for! ๐#UFC306 LIVE from @SphereVegas
[ @RiyadhSeason #NocheUFC | 10pmET/7pmPT | B2YB @BudLight ] pic.twitter.com/T6p2LBpJfh
— UFC (@ufc) September 9, 2024
This will be OโMalleyโs second title defense since becoming the divisionโs undisputed king. Heโll also be the betting favorite heading into the match with -140 UFC odds. Meanwhile, Dvalishvili is the +115 betting underdog in his first championship opportunity.
Sean OโMalley Recent Fight Results
OโMalley was a former alumnus of the Dana White Contender Series, where he had a walk-off knockout of Terrion Ware to earn a roster spot in the promotion. He made his octagon debut in March 2018 and won his first three fights before he suffered a first-round TKO loss from Marlon Vera in August 2020.
The Suga Show is BACK in action for #UFC306 ๐ฌ@SugaSeanMMA will fight for his second title defense this weekend at @RiyadhSeason #NocheUFC
[ LIVE from @SphereVegas | 10pmET/7pmPT ] pic.twitter.com/QYpevgYxuS
— UFC (@ufc) September 9, 2024
Since that setback from Vera, he went on an undefeated six-fight streak. He defeated the likes of Thomas Almeida, Kris Moutinho, Raulian Paiva, Petr Yan, and Aljamain Sterling to become the undisputed UFC bantamweight champion. OโMalley also avenged his loss from Vera during their rematch at UFC 299 in March with a masterful unanimous decision win.
Merab Dvalishvili Recent Fight Results
Dvalishvili was a former ROC champion when he was signed by the UFC in 2017. However, the start of his UFC career wasnโt ideal because he sustained back-to-back losses to Frankie Saenz in December 2017 and Ricky Simon in April 2018. Following these losses, the Georgian athlete has never tasted defeat again and beat every opponent pitted against him.
The Machine is on the hunt this weekend! ๐@MerabDvalishvil is coming for the bantamweight title at #UFC306!
[ @RiyadhSeason #NocheUFC LIVE from @SphereVegas | 10pmET/7pmPT ] pic.twitter.com/iuRxmVnT65
— UFC (@ufc) September 9, 2024
โThe Machineโ climbed up the divisionโs rankings by winning 10 straight fights and defeating notable names like John Dodson, Cody Stamann, Marlon Moraes, Josรฉ Aldo, and Yan. His most recent victory was a lopsided unanimous decision against former UFC bantamweight king Henry Cejudo in February at UFC 298, setting the stage for this match with OโMalley.
Sean OโMalley vs. Merab Dvalishvili: Tale of the Tape
Sean OโMalley | Merab Dvalishvili | |
---|---|---|
Age | 29 | 33 |
Height | 5โ11โ | 5โ6โ |
Reach | 72 inches | 68 inches |
Leg Reach | 40 inches | 38 inches |
Record | 18-1 | 17-4 |
Fighting Style | Striker | Freestyle |
Finishing Rate | 72% | 24% |
Sean OโMalley vs. Merab Dvalishvili: Fight Analysis
The tale of the tape between OโMalley and Dvalishvili reveals that the former will have significant advantages in physical attributes. Heโs 5 inches taller, has 4 inches longer reach, and has 2 inches longer leg reach than the latter.
OโMalley is also four years younger (29), has a better record (18-1), and a higher finish rate (72%) than Dvalishvili, who is already 33 years old, has a record of 17 wins and four losses, and a finish rate of 24%.
In terms of fighting style, both have different approaches and fighting bases, with OโMalley being a striker who loves to use his boxing against his opponents. On the other hand, Dvalishvili is more of a grappler with a solid wrestling fighting base.
The key for OโMalley is to maximize his length against Dvalishvili, use his elite boxing skills to inflict damage, and potentially finish the challenger with his one-shot knockout power. Heโs no stranger to fighting smaller opponents and has done a great job keeping them within his ideal range.
In contrast, Dvalishvili should immediately close the distance between himself and OโMalley to remove the threat of his boxing and maneuver his way into a grappling battle. This way, he can fully utilize his superior wrestling skills against the defending champion and potentially gas him out early into the fight.
In my opinion, Dvalishvili will learn from the mistake that his teammate, Sterling, committed against OโMalley and not rush into his range. I believe his wrestling pedigree will reign supreme in this match, and heโll use it to rag-doll โSugaโ throughout the match en route to a dominant and lopsided unanimous decision victory.
Official Prediction: Unanimous decision victory for Merab Dvalishvili.
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