Merab Dvalishvili will back up Sean O’Malley against Marlon Vera at UFC 299. Could something go wrong in the final hours of the main event? Why was there even the need for a backup in the first place? Continue reading to find out!
The main attraction of the pay-per-view event, which takes place on March 9 at the Kaseya Centre in Miami, is a bantamweight title bout between the defending champion Sean O’Malley and the opponent Marlon Vera. In preparation for his trip to Florida, Dvalishvili plans to work out on Friday morning to be ready to step in as the backup fighter in case he is needed. MMA Junkie was informed of the news by Oren Hodak of KO Reps on Tuesday night.
In previous years, the UFC has usually allocated a backup fighter for title fights; however, their services have not yet been required.
Currently, on a 10-fight winning streak, Dvalishvili has defeated three UFC title holders in a row. Less than three weeks have passed since Dvalishvili’s last fight at UFC 298 when he decisively defeated former two-division champion Henry Cejudo to earn the title of top contender.
Dvalishvili stated during his in-cage post-fight interview that whoever becomes the champion, he intends to face them next. He mentioned having called out Sean O’Malley in 2018 and emphasized that his sole objective now is to compete for the title.
In the unlikely event that something goes wrong during fight week with O’Malley or Vera, “The Machine” will be prepared to step in and fulfill his championship chance dreams. Throughout their UFC careers, neither of the fighters slated for the main event has missed weight.
Do you think Dvalishvili will have the opportunity to compete for the title and fulfill his sole objective? Do let us know about your thoughts in the comment section!
