Chael Sonnen thinks Merab Dvalishvili could be risking his career by waiting for UFC title shot
Chael Sonnen isn’t so sure that Merab Dvalishvili is playing his cards right.
Dvalishvili recently witnessed his training partner and close friend Aljamain Sterling lose the UFC Bantamweight Championship to Sean O’Malley at UFC 292. After the fight, Merab told “The Schmo” that he plans to wait for a title shot because he doesn’t feel he has anything left to prove since he’s on a nine-fight winning streak. He took things a step further during an interview with MMAJunkie, saying he’d be willing to wait longer than one year for a title opportunity.
A problem that Dvalishvili is facing, besides recovering from a hand injury, is the fact that Sean O’Malley is pulling for a rematch against Marlon “Chito” Vera.
Chael Sonnen Concerned About The Approach Of Merab Dvalishvili
Chael Sonnen has taken to his YouTube channel to weigh in on the way Merab Dvalishvili is handling the situation (h/t MMAJunkie).
“What Merab is saying is that he’s going to wait and do nothing else: ‘My next fight will be for the belt. I’m willing to wait.’ In fact, he qualifies by saying, ‘I’m even willing to wait a year if that’s what it takes,’” Sonnen said.
Sonnen believes that if Merab continues to receive non-title fights and constantly turns them down, he’s risking throwing everything he’s earned down the drain.
“When your phone rings, and you’re given an opportunity, no matter how massive that opportunity is, when you turn it down and try to talk about, ‘I’ve won nine fights in a row. I’ve proven who I am.’ Is that contingent on the fact that Aljo has a backdoor deal?” Sonnen said. “That he’s had a conversation, and he’s got a reasonable expectation that he will get Sean somewhere in the near future? Because if not, it would really seem as if Merab is risking his career.”
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Chael Sonnen Merab Dvalishvili UFC
