Merab Dvalishvili assures fans his upcoming fight against Sean O’Malley at UFC 316 is still on, despite a minor toe injury.
The current UFC bantamweight champion recently shared a video showing his swollen pinky toe after training, jokingly blaming a teammate and even half-seriously mentioning cutting off the toe if needed. Speaking Thursday, Merab stated he was taken aback by the amount of attention the post received.
“I was surprised at how much reaction there was from people reacting,” Dvalishvili told reporters during a media scrum in Las Vegas. “Everybody was like [freaking out]. Guys, it`s nothing. Really, it`s nothing.”
This level of concern likely stems from a somewhat similar situation that unfolded prior to Dvalishvili’s title victory over O’Malley last September.
Just weeks before UFC 306, Dvalishvili posted a photo of a severe training cut, which prompted UFC CEO Dana White to call him “next-level stupid” for making it public, even though the cut itself didn`t endanger the fight.
This time, White hasn`t publicly commented on Dvalishvili revealing the toe injury before the second fight against O’Malley, but a similar reaction from White would likely be expected.
Dvalishvili took a moment during the scrum to show reporters his foot, aiming to prove the toe was already looking better and that he never expected the injury to impact his performance.
“As you guys see, no more black and blue, still a little fat but it’s good,” Dvalishvili said. “As you see, I’m walking. It’s a little pinky toe, it won’t be any problem. … like I said, I have nine other toes. I’m good.”
Clearly, Dvalishvili isn`t worried about the toe and appears fully prepared for his second title defense, having previously defeated Umar Nurmagomedov in January.
Dvalishvili vs. O’Malley 2 is scheduled to headline UFC 316 from the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., on June 7. The co-main event features women’s bantamweight champion Julianna Peña defending her belt against Kayla Harrison.
