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Sean O'Malley declared he is a "nightmare" for Merab Dvalishvili as the pair prepare for a bantamweight clash at UFC 306 on September 14, despite the Georgian being undefeated in six years.
O'Malley current reigns as the champion in the division whilst the 33-year-old Dvalishvili is classed as the top contender as they prepare to clash on Mexico's Independence Day celebrations in Las Vegas.
"He's ranked number one. He's on a 10-fight win streak," O'Malley told TMZ Sports. "The only reason he's never fought for a title or was never the champion is because Aljamain Sterling was there.
He added: "I would say stylistically I'm a nightmare match-up for Merab."
Dvalishvili is known for his preference to wrestle and take fighters to the ground which is a stark contract to O'Malley, who prefers to stand on his two feet and trade punches or kicks and look for strikes with only one of his wins coming via submission.
That means if the Georgian takes the American to the floor then he could find a lot of joy, if he takes him down without getting hurt on the way in and the longer he stays on his feet and can't find a takedown, the more it's likely to swing in O'Malley's favor.
O'Malley hails Dvalishvili talent
O'Malley took the UFC Bantamweight championship title in August 2023 when he knocked out Sterling in the second round, before going on to defend his title via unanimous decision against Marlon Vera in March 2024.
Yet, despite describing himself as a "nightmare" for the European opponent, he does praise his talents and is under no impression of what he's about to face when he steps into the octagon by drawing attention to Dvalishvili's endurance.
"He's [Merab's] as dangerous as it gets," O'Malley added. "Cardio machine. He doesn't get tired. He's been rocked a few times, but he's got a good chin.
"He got rocked hard from Marlon Reyes and ended up finishing him. So he's very durable. He's got good cardio. He's obviously skilled. He's on a 10-fight win streak. He's very, very dangerous."