Former UFC champion Merab Dvalishvili believes Sean O’Malley will knock out Aiemann Zahabi on June 14.
O’Malley vs. Zahabi takes place on the South Lawn of the White House and is a part of the UFC Freedom 250 bout list.
After sharing the octagon twice with “Suga,” handing him back-to-back losses and dethroning him, “The Machine” still believes O’Malley has better striking and can put Zahabi to sleep.
Merab Dvalishvili breaks down the June 14 Sean O’Malley vs. Aiemann Zahabi bout
During a recent interview with Ariel Helwani, Dvalishvili opined that the 38-year-old Canadian, who is riding a seven-fight win streak, does not have enough wrestling to take down O’Malley like he did when they locked horns. Therefore, Dvalishvili believes O’Malley will end up sending Zahabi to the shadow realm on June 14.
“I like Zahabi, but of course I’m rooting for Sean O’Malley. I think Sean O’Malley will win this fight because he has good knockout power. I love him, and now I love him 10 times more… The only heartbreaking moment was his win against my friend Aljamain Sterling.”
Check out Merab Dvalishvili’s comments below:
Dvalishvili and “Suga” share a respectful rivalry, keeping competition separate from their personal bond
The 35-year-old Georgian, meanwhile, is expected to run it back with current and two-time bantamweight champion Petr Yan later this year. “No Mercy” dethroned “The Machine” last year at UFC 323 while Dvalishvili was trying to become the first UFC champ to register four successful title defenses in a year.
After the title loss, the UFC promised him an immediate rematch, and once Yan, who had back surgery earlier this year, is cleared for action, the two will fight a third time to settle their trilogy, currently tied 1-1.
