UFC Bantamweight Champion Merab Dvalishvili assures fans he is still on track to fight Sean O’Malley at UFC 316 and a recent toe injury will not derail him.
The champion recently shared a video showing his swollen right pinky toe after a training session, jokingly blaming a teammate by asking, “Why you break my toe?” In the same video, Dvalishvili lightheartedly suggested he would simply cut off the toe if necessary. However, speaking on Thursday, he expressed surprise at how much attention the post garnered.
“I was surprised at how much reaction there was from people reacting,” Dvalishvili told reporters during a media scrum at Syndicate MMA in Las Vegas. “Everybody was like [freaking out]. Guys, it`s nothing. Really, it`s nothing.”
The concern likely stems from a somewhat similar situation that occurred before Dvalishvili`s first title defense victory against O’Malley last September.
Just weeks ahead of UFC 306, Dvalishvili posted a photo of a nasty cut he suffered in training, prompting UFC CEO Dana White to label him “next-level stupid” for sharing it on social media. While the cut ultimately didn`t threaten the fight, White still criticized Dvalishvili for making the injury public.
This time, White has not publicly commented on Dvalishvili’s decision to reveal his toe injury leading into the second fight against O’Malley, though it’s reasonable to anticipate a similar reaction.
Dvalishvili took a moment to display his foot, showing that his toe had already improved and reiterating 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 stated. “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.”
Evidently, Dvalishvili remains unconcerned about the toe injury and appears fully prepared for his second title defense, following his win over Umar Nurmagomedov back in January.
Dvalishvili vs. O’Malley 2 is scheduled to headline UFC 316 on June 7 at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. The co-main event features women’s bantamweight champion Julianna Peña defending her belt against Kayla Harrison.
