Merab Dvalishvili’s alleged broken toe gets perspective check with graphic past injury video

Merab Dvalishvili is scheduled to face Sean O'Malley for a second time in the main event of UFC 316 on June 7. The pair will go to war for the bantamweight title. But with several weeks until fight night, 'The Machine' appears to have suffered a broken toe. The news has put fans on edge, as the fight could now be in jeopardy.

However, a teammate of Dvalishvili has put the Georgian's injury in perspective with a far more brutal toe injury the champion had previously suffered.

Matt Frevola, a UFC lightweight contender and longtime training partner of the bantamweight champion, took to X to remind his friend and teammate that he has been through worse.

Get the latest updates on One Championship Rankings at Sportskeeda and more

The video posted by Frevola captured 'The Machine' several years ago, where Dvalishvili's second toe, next to his big toe, can be seen in severely disfigured condition. The bantamweight fighter had broken his toe in a fashion where the bone was protruding from the skin, known as a compound fracture, a genuinely gruesome sight.

In the video 'The Machine' can be heard saying:

"Nothing gonna stop [me]."

Frevola took to X to post the video as a reaction to the recent news of Dvalishvili's broken toe ahead of his UFC 316 title fight. 'The Steamrolla' sought to give his friend a reminder and wrote this:

"No biggie"

Check out Matt Frevola's post about Merab Dvalishvili below:

WARNING: Viewer discretion is advised. Click here to watch.

Sean O'Malley's coach oozes confidence ahead of Merab Dvalishvili rematch

Noche UFC 306 saw Sean O'Malley and Merab Dvalishvili square off in the main event, with O'Malley hoping to defend his bantamweight title for the second time. However, 'Sugar' suffered the second defeat of his MMA career, as the Georgian fighter secured a unanimous decision win to fulfill his lifelong dream of being a world champion.

The pair will face off in a title rematch in the main event of UFC 316. O'Malley has not competed since his loss to 'The Machine', as the former champion had some injury struggles to take care of.

With the American now back to full health, his longtime coach, Tim Welch, has shared a confident prediction for fight night. He was recently interviewed by ESPN MMA, where Welch said:

"The shape he's in right now, it's hard for me not to bet that Sean's going to TKO him... At some point, he's gonna find [Merab's] chin. If Merab takes a shot at the wrong time, Sean's reactions are so good that [Merab] could be sleeping. So I'm thinking he's gonna TKO him."

Watch Sean O'Malley's coach predict the Merab Dvalishvili rematch below (15:10):

About the author

Liam is a MMA and Boxing writer at Sportskeeda. His journey into MMA journalism began with a high school diploma in 2017, but his passion for writing led him to diverse experiences, including internships in research and writing roles and accounting work.

Liam's fascination with MMA was sparked by Conor McGregor, with Dustin Poirier's bout against Dan Hooker in 2020 sealing his love for the sport. Poirier remains Liam's favorite fighter, whom he admires for his attitude, fighting style, and persona both inside and outside the cage. He is an advocate for the removal of the 12-6 elbow rule in MMA.

Liam strives to report precise and relevant information by cross-checking his work, reaching out to relevant sources for comments, and adhering to Sportskeeda's guidelines. His work has been recognized on popular MMA platforms, with his article headlines featuring in YouTube recaps and appearing onscreen during an episode of The Joe Rogan Experience.

Outside of work, Liam enjoys playing cricket, practising Brazilian jiu-jitsu, cooking, music, and reading.

Know More

Follow One Championship News, Schedule & Results at Sportskeeda.

Edited by C. Naik