Outside Source
Merab Dvalishvili dismisses ‘bright lights’ reasoning from O’Malley’s team: ‘Same lights for both of us.’ 💡🗣️🇬🇪
“We were both in the same situation, and before the fight, everybody was like, ‘Oh, how are you gonna fight in the Sphere? It’s gonna be too bright and full of… pic.twitter.com/mlaG8zHlll
— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) May 27, 2025
Merab Dvalishvili doesn’t think the lighting played any role in his win over Sean O’Malley at the Sphere last year.
Dvalishvili dethroned O’Malley via a dominant unanimous decision in the main event at UFC 306 in September 2024. The card, also billed as Noche UFC, was a one-of-a-kind affair dedicated to celebrating Mexico’s contribution to combat sports.
O’Malley’s coach, Tim Welch, recently said that his fighter couldn’t land shots as the lights were too bright at the venue. Dvalishvili brushed off this theory, saying the lights were equally bright for everyone. The champ admits that there were widespread concerns about the unusual venue going into UFC 306. However, Dvalishvili wasn’t worried, as it would be a level playing ground for both parties in any case. And the Georgian was unexpectedly impressed with the venue, as the crowd was seated far away, allowing clear communication between the fighters and corners.
“Before the fight everybody was, ‘Oh how are you gonna fight in Sphere? It’s gonna be too much bright, too much light, different.’ And I said, ‘We both will be in same situation.’ And I was not [worried] about it. And actually when I got in arena, that was the best arena I ever fought… Crowd was far away, and it was just me and Sean. And I can hear my corner and his corner very well,” Dvalishvili said on the “Believe You Me” podcast.
If lights were really bothering O’Malley, he now gets a chance to prove so when he challenges Dvalishvili in a rematch at UFC 316 on June 7 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
This article first appeared at Recent News on Sherdog.com
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