Sean O'Malley and Merab Dvalishvili engaged in a heated first faceoff last week and the video has just surfaced.
In a promotional video shoot for their Noche UFC 306 showdown Sept. 14 at Sphere, the promotion’s bantamweight champion and challenger got into a heated discussion seemingly pertaining to O’Malley’s coach Tim Welch.
O’Malley and Dvalishvili disagreed on the origins of the mutual disdain involving Welch. As the two verbally traded barbs, UFC security stepped between them to prevent things from turning physical.
“If you have a problem with him, you can take it up with him,” O’Malley said. “He’ll fight you, if that’s what you want. … You want to die? That’s what you’re saying? He’ll kill you.”
Meanwhile, a delighted UFC women’s flyweight champion Alexa Grasso was seen in the background, fully engaged in joyfully watching the disagreement.
Tensions are already high 👀
[ @RiyadhSeason #NocheUFC LIVE on PPV from @SphereVegas 🇲🇽 ] pic.twitter.com/8Rk8FDRudK
— UFC (@ufc) July 30, 2024
While it’s unclear exactly what comments peeved Dvalishvili, it’s not the first instance of a bone he’s had to pick with Welch. After O’Malley finished Aljamain Sterling, Dvalishvili took exception with corner audio that indicated Welch could have been shouting fake instructions to Sterling as a trick. Welch denied doing it.
Dvalishvili has publicly said he wants to fight Welch as recently as May.
“I will smash O’Malley inside the cage and then smash his coach outside of the cage,” Dvalishvili wrote in an X post.
Welch responded with a quote post, “I’ve punted footballs bigger than you.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 306.
