Merab Dvalishvili was interviewed on the ‘Believe You Me’ podcast with Michael Bisping and Anthony Smith yesterday, and they weren’t buying his claim that he’ll abandon his usual wrestling strategy in favor of striking with the current bantamweight champion if and when they fight.
“This is my dream fight and the perfect time to fight him,” Dvalishvili said during the ‘Believe You Me’ show. “What’s going to happen is now I’m going to show everybody my striking. Yeah, I have wrestling, but now I want to prove my striking. And I want to go punch his face because he thinks I’m going to wrestle him. No, I’m going to punch.”
Some interviewers may have let that declaration slide, but not Smith and Bisping.
“I don’t believe you,” Smith responded.
“Thank you!” Bisping exclaimed. “I was going to say: Merab, you are full of sh*t.”
Dvalishvili, whose currently on a 10-fight winning streak, went on to acknowledge that his best chance of beating O’Malley is to use his wrestling.
“Technically, you’re right,” Dvalishvili conceded. “Stylistically, I have to beat him wrestling, good cardio, close the distance, and clinch. … I have to respect his striking, but I believe in myself. I respect all my opponents, especially him. He is the champion, he has the confidence, he has the reach, he has experience, he has knockout power, he has good technique, a good coach, but I have to beat his coach too.”
