Merab Dvalishvili responds to Sean O'Malley's 'coat boy' slight: 'Where's my tip?'
Sean O'Malley and Merab Dvalishvili traded barbs on social media after Dvalishvili took O'Malley's jacket during the face-off with Aljamain Sterling at UFC 288.
After turning away Henry Cejudo in a narrow split decision at UFC 288, UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling got into an in-Octagon confrontation with Sean O'Malley. O'Malley, the No. 2 ranked bantamweight contender, has been confirmed as Sterling's next challenger.
And yet, after the staredown, all anyone could talk about was how Merab Dvalishvili, Sterling's teammate and the No. 1 ranked bantamweight contender, managed to get O'Malley's jacket after O'Malley took it off.
O'Malley took to social media after UFC 288 went off the air to respond to Dvalishvili's prank — and to throw in a dig at him.
"I gave my jacked [sic] to that guy I thought It was my coat boy," O'Malley posted to Twitter.
I gave my jacked to that guy I thought It was my coat boy 🤣 https://t.co/GL0fBAnbN3
— Sean O'Malley (@SugaSeanMMA) May 7, 2023
Merab Dvalishvili asks Sean O'Malley 'Where's my tip?' after being called 'coat boy' following UFC 288 jacket prank
Dvalishvili was not going to let the taunt from O'Malley go unresponded, taking his own dig at O'Malley the next afternoon on the social media platform.
@SugaSeanMMA First… you gave me your jacket and I thank you for the gift. But then you cried for me to give it back and called me coat boy .. well if I am the coat boy … WHERE’S MY TIP ?? 💵🤣@ufc
— Merab “The Machine” Dvalishvili (@MerabDvalishvil) May 7, 2023
"First…you gave me your jacket and I thank you for the gift," Dvalishvili posted. "But then you cried for me to give it back and called me coat boy. Well if I am the coat boy…WHERE’S MY TIP??"
O'Malley has won all but two of his fights in the UFC since coming over from season one of Dana White's Contender Series, and he's won four of five since his sole professional MMA loss to Marlon "Chito" Vera.
O'Malley last fought at UFC 280 in October, defeating Petr Yan — the former bantamweight champion who Sterling won the bantamweight belt from — via a controversial split decision.
Dvalishvili has won nine straight and defeated Yan a couple of months ago, but he has openly refused to take the title shot and fight his teammate in Sterling — which has earned from criticism alike from fans, media and even UFC President Dana White himself.
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