Russian UFC fighter Irina Alekseeva discussed the upcoming title fight between Sean O’Malley and Merab Dvalishvili in an exclusive interview with Telecomasia.net.
"I think Merab has a unique trait that is rarely seen in athletes. No matter how many times he gets knocked down, he always gets back up and turns the tide of the fight in his favor. Many opponents mentally break down when they think they’ve knocked him out, and then he revives and acts as if he just entered the cage. Despite Sean's powerful strikes, Merab will keep coming back, and that might shake Sean's confidence. I believe Merab will win because he’s good on the feet and extremely strong on the ground. He’s a true MMA fighter," Alekseeva said.
There's also another point. Before the fight, Dana White called Merab “an idiot”, and a good athlete will be highly motivated by that because he will enter the cage feeling that the league's head dislikes him. A good athlete will want to prove everything in the octagon, and I think that for every UFC fighter, White's opinion matters. Therefore, this will serve as additional motivation for Merab to show the MMA boss that he is not, in fact, “an idiot”.
Irina Alekseeva exclusively for Telecom Asia Sport
“Why is White's opinion important to fighters? Take Mokaev, for example,– he has seven wins and no losses, but White's perception of him is not very positive. So, even with good results, it's over when he says goodbye. You have to always be aware of your actions in the UFC and never let the league down," she explained.
As a reminder, the fight between O'Malley and Dvalishvili will headline UFC 306 on September 15.
O'Malley, 29, has a record of 18 wins, one loss, and one no contest, while Dvalishvili, 33, holds a record of 17 wins and four losses.