Merab Dvalishvili message as UFC champion Sean O’Malley watches him “ragdoll” Henry Cejudo

Merab Dvalishvili sent a message to UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley after a dominant victory over Henry Cejudo at UFC 298.

The Georgian fighter dominated the fight from the opening bell and delivered a number of eye-catching moments en route to a unanimous decision victory over the former two-weight UFC world champion.

Dvalishvili joked with Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, who was cage side, while having Cejudo in a guillotine hold, while he also carried his opponent the width of the Octagon, before dumping him on the floor.

Dvalishvili’s win retired Cejudo from the UFC but it has now set him up for a shot at the bantamweight world title against the winner of the UFC 299 main event between O’Malley and Marlon Vera on March 10.

Merab’s message for O’Malley

UFC president Dana White has intimated Dvalishvili will get a shot at the winner of that fight and the 33-year-old wants to pit his wits against current champion O’Malley.

“I want to fight O’Malley because I have been calling for him since 2018,” Dvalishvili said in the post-fight press conference.

“He is champion now and I wish he can keep the belt and I can fight him. I want to take his belt and I saw today he was wearing a nice white jacket so I want his white jacket.”

And UFC fans are convinced O’Malley could be in trouble if he fights Dvalishvili.

One fan tweeted: “Merab is going to own the division for so long if they let him fight O’Malley. I think Tatsuro Taira may be the only kid with a two belt future 125/135 currently on roster.”

And another added: “Yeah, O’Malley is losing that belt once he fights Merab.”