Sean O’Malley faces training disadvantage, according to coach

Syndicate MMA head coach John Wooden doesn’t suppose UFC bantamweight champ Sean O’Malley may discover any coaching accomplice to assist him prep for Merab Dvalishvili’s type.

Dvalishvili (17-4 MMA, 10-2 UFC) challenges O’Malley (17-1 MMA, 10-1 UFC) within the UFC 306 primary occasion Sept. 14 at Sphere in Las Vegas. O’Malley is assured that Dvalishvili gained’t have the ability to check his wrestling, however Wooden thinks Dvalishvili’s high-octane type is one thing O’Malley can have a tough time discovering within the coaching room.

“Right here’s the factor with that, is there’s a variety of actually good strikers, and I’ll give it up,” Wooden advised MMA Junkie Radio. “Sean, he’s a sniper, he’s a specialist, and Sean’s very nicely rounded in every single place. He’s acquired a great coach. They’ve a great recreation plan. They arrive out and do good issues. He’s a specialist, and I say that with respect as a result of he’s good on the bottom, he’s good at avoiding takedowns.

“However there’s a variety of actually, actually good strikers, and there are guys that we now have within the fitness center, world champions which can be capable of simulate that type of hanging. I’m not going to say they’re pretty much as good as Sean as a result of he’s the champ, however there may be no person on the market you could usher in that may simulate what Merab goes to do for 5 rounds. It’s a fairly clear-cut case of we all know what they need to do, they know what we need to do, it’s nearly how we implement these recreation plans.”

Wooden is just not shocked to see that Dvalishvili is a favourite over O’Malley. Nonetheless, in line with DraftKings, the hole has now closed and the battle is just about a choose’em. O’Malley is simply the slightest of underdogs at -105 in opposition to Dvalishvili, who’s a -115 favourite.