Dana White recently commented on the unusual moment involving a kiss between Merab Dvalishvili and Sean O’Malley at UFC 306.
The event at the Las Vegas Sphere was full of unforgettable moments. From fight of the year contenders to one of the worst cuts in MMA history, and even a surprising kiss in the main event.
As round two was coming to an end, Merab Dvalishvili appeared to be in control. He utilized his wrestling skills effectively against Sean O’Malley, but what caught everyone’s attention was the repeated kissing on O’Malley’s back during a grappling exchange.
There were several strange occurrences in the fight that caught the eye of Dana White.
“Merab and O’Malley’s corners were shouting at each other throughout the beginning of the fight,” White said to the media after UFC 306. “They were going back and forth.”
“Herb Dean had to intervene and tell them to stop.”
White also addressed Merab Dvalishvili’s actions of kissing Sean O’Malley.
“The kissing on the back and walking away before the bell, I’m not sure what that was about.”
“Merab does some interesting things, you know what I mean? It was strange but not surprising.”
After his win, Merab Dvalishvili explained why he kissed Sean O’Malley during the fight.
“I had his neck and I knew there were 10 seconds left,” Dvalishvili said. “I knew he wouldn’t tap or go to sleep.”
Related: Merab Dvalishvili and Valentina Shevchenko share special moment backstage after UFC 306 wins
“I just wanted to have some fun. I don’t have any ill feelings towards him, I just wanted to play around and show my dominance with a kiss.”
“I wanted to show that I controlled the fight and broke him. That’s why I kissed him. But I got carried away and lost track of time.”
Watch the video below to hear Dvalishvili’s thoughts on the kiss.
Merab Dvalishvili achieved his lifelong goal of becoming a UFC champion on Saturday.
Looking ahead, Dvalishvili will likely defend his title in 2025. With a tough bantamweight division, one name that stands out as a potential challenger is Umar Nurmagomedov.
