Merab Dvalishvili guarantees he’s nonetheless combating Sean O’Malley at UFC 316 and a toe damage isn’t going to throw him off his sport.
The reigning UFC bantamweight champion recently post a video displaying the pinky toe on his proper foot was swollen after a coaching session the place he jokingly blamed a teammate for the damage saying, “Why you break my toe?” Whereas Dvalishvili added in the identical video that he would simply reduce off the toe if crucial, he mentioned Thursday he was shocked the put up obtained a lot consideration.
“I used to be shocked at how a lot response there was from individuals reacting,” Dvalishvili instructed reporters throughout a media scrum at Syndicate MMA in Las Vegas. “Everyone was like [freaking out]. Guys, it’s nothing. Actually, it’s nothing.”
The trigger for concern doubtless comes from a considerably related state of affairs that unfolded previous to Dvalishvili’s title struggle win over O’Malley of their first encounter this previous September.
Simply weeks out from UFC 306, Dvalishvili confirmed off a photograph that includes a gnarly reduce that he suffered in coaching, which led to UFC CEO Dana White calling him “next-level stupid” for posting it on social media. Whereas the reduce didn’t endanger the struggle in any method, White nonetheless blasted Dvalishvili for making the information public within the first place.
This time round, White hasn’t weighed in on Dvalishvili’s resolution to disclose his toe damage main into the second struggle towards O’Malley, however it’s protected to imagine his response could be related.
Dvalishvili took a second to point out off his foot to show his toe already regarded higher and that he by no means anticipated the damage to truly have an effect on his efficiency.
“As you guys see, no extra black and blue, nonetheless a bit of fats however it’s good,” Dvalishvili mentioned. “As you see, I’m strolling. It’s a bit of pinky toe, it received’t be any downside. … like I mentioned, I’ve 9 different toes. I’m good.”
Clearly, Dvalishvili isn’t involved concerning the toe damage and it seems he’s greater than able to defend his title for a second time after vanquishing Umar Nurmagomedov again in January.
Dvalishvili vs. O’Malley 2 headlines UFC 316 from the Prudential Middle in Newark, N.J., on June 7 with ladies’s bantamweight champion Julianna Peña defending her belt towards Kayla Harrison within the co-main occasion.
