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Merab Dvalishvili’s coach has stated the bantamweight champion’s staff will warn the referee forward of UFC 316, as they intention to fight a controversial tactic utilized by Sean O’Malley’s coach.
When O’Malley knocked out Aljamain Sterling to win the belt in 2023, the latter appeared to chunk on a deceiving shout from “Sugar Sean”’s coach Tim Welch, who cried: “Aljo, you’ve bought to go!” Sterling may need believed it was his personal coach shouting, however in any case, he closed vary and was knocked out by O’Malley.
Welch tried the identical tactic when his fighter defended the gold towards Dvalishvili in September, however he was unsuccessful in two senses; Welch was warned by referee Herb Dean, and Dvalishvili cruised to a call win to turn into champion.
At UFC 316 on 7 June, Dvalishvili seems to construct upon January’s profitable defence towards Umar Nurmagomedov, as he places his belt on the road towards O’Malley in New Jersey. And forward of that rematch, the champion’s head coach, John Wooden, will be certain to talk to whichever referee is appointed.
Wooden informed MMA Preventing on Monday (19 Could): “In fact we’ll have that speak, in fact it is going to be introduced up. And I believe Tim will do it once more, however be at liberty to speak to Merab all you need; it simply gave him extra motivation, so I’m good. Inform Merab what you need him to do, and he’ll go forward and do it.
“It didn’t work, it’s not gonna work once more. I’ve acknowledged this earlier than: no matter you suppose you’ve bought to do to get your fighter up for the sport, no matter you suppose you’ve bought to do as a coach to attempt to take benefit, do it. So long as it’s inside the [rules]. I really suppose that’s a rule – you’re not supposed to try this – however I imply, the previous saying [is]: ‘In case you ain’t dishonest, you ain’t attempting.’
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“I’d by no means really feel like I must speak to Sean or anyone else Merab’s preventing to get a bonus, so go forward, and if it will get you extra hits or clicks in your podcast or TikTok or no matter these guys do, then nice for you. He bought a variety of play off that.
“I believe Tim’s a great coach, I like Tim personally, I don’t take any offence to it. Do I believe it’s silly? Completely, however I suppose possibly they suppose it labored for the Aljo combat, so: ‘It’s one thing we’re gonna carry on doing.’
“Go forward. We’ll speak to the referees about it, however I don’t suppose it’s going to be an issue in any method, form or type.”
Wooden added: “There’s lots of people which have had profitable careers and cheated loads. And I’m not saying that Tim’s dishonest; it’s possibly bending the principles.”
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American O’Malley, 30, has not fought since dropping the bantamweight belt to Dvalishvili on the Sphere in Las Vegas. In the meantime, the latter’s defence towards Nurmagomedov noticed the Georgian, 34, mount a surprising comeback.
On two of the judges’ scorecards, Dvalishvili got here from two rounds all the way down to win the ultimate three towards Nurmagomedov, whereas the third card additionally awarded the “Machine” the primary body. With that, Dvalishvili prolonged his win streak to a outstanding 12 fights, courting again to 2018.
When Dvalishvili and O’Malley conflict once more, it is going to be in one in every of two bantamweight title bouts at UFC 316; the co-main occasion sees Julianna Pena defend the ladies’s 135lb belt towards Kayla Harrison – a former PFL champion and Olympic gold-medalist judoka.
