Bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili has suffered a toe injury just two weeks before his highly anticipated rematch with Sean O’Malley at UFC 316.
Footage shared on social media shows Dvalishvili displaying a visibly swollen pinky toe on his right foot, an injury that occurred during a recent sparring session with undefeated prospect Cameron Sandoval.
In the video, Dvalishvili can be heard asking his training partner, “Why you break my toe, my foot?” to which Sandoval responds, “You keep me in the head from your toe, that’s the problem.” Apparently, the champion injured himself while throwing a head kick during their training session.
Despite the setback, Dvalishvili appears to be taking the injury in stride, even joking about a radical solution to ensure he makes it to the octagon on fight night. “I’m gonna cut it off,” he quips in the video, suggesting nothing will stop him from defending his title.
This isn’t the first hurdle in Dvalishvili’s preparation for UFC 316. Earlier this month, he sustained a brutal cut under his eye, adding to the challenges of his training camp.
The Georgian fighter is currently riding an impressive 12-fight winning streak and already holds a victory over O’Malley, having dethroned “The Sugar Show” by unanimous decision at their previous encounter at the Sphere last September.
Now, with the rematch scheduled to take place in New Jersey, fans are understandably concerned about whether Dvalishvili will be fully recovered in time. The champion, however, seems determined to proceed with the bout despite these setbacks.
As the clock ticks down to UFC 316, all eyes will be on Dvalishvili’s recovery. The bantamweight division eagerly awaits this rematch, with O’Malley looking to avenge his loss and Dvalishvili aiming to prove his first victory was no fluke.
Whether Dvalishvili will be at 100 percent remains to be seen, but his lighthearted response to the injury suggests his confidence remains unshaken as he prepares to defend his title for the first time.
