‘I kind of think this is a bad move’: Ben Askren reacts to Sean O’Malley taking rematch with Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 316

Ben Askren isn’t saying Sean O’Malley can’t beat Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 316, however he questions the previous champ’s determination to take the rematch proper now.

Dvalishvili took the title from O’Malley by way of unanimous determination at UFC 306 in September, and now they’ll run it again June 7 on the Prudential Heart in Newark, N.J.

Askren needs O’Malley would’ve taken one other battle in opposition to a unique stylistic opponent earlier than bumping again up in opposition to the streaking Dvalishvili.

“I form of suppose it is a unhealthy transfer,” Askren mentioned on Funky & The Champ with Daniel Cormier. “If he will get beat up by Merab once more then he loses an entire bunch of attraction as a result of it’s like, nicely, you already misplaced to the champ twice, so till the champ goes away, they’re not going to provide you a 3rd shot in opposition to him.

“He may’ve fought some, perhaps, lower-ranked guys — in opposition to guys who can’t take him down, he form of appears like an actual freaking celebrity, proper? He’s actually thrilling, very various putting assault, although, he may’ve seemed actually good [against somebody else], constructed the battle again up into one thing larger. However now, I really feel like everyone seems to be feeling… ‘Hey, we simply noticed this. It wasn’t aggressive. Why do we have to see this once more?’”

O’Malley says he’s made a number of life modifications since dropping the title to Dvalishvili — together with giving up social media — and believes he’s in a a lot more healthy place bodily and mentally heading into his fourth UFC championship battle.

Dvalishvili discovered a number of success within the first assembly together with his strain and wrestling, which is why Askren believes O’Malley ought to’ve, maybe, taken extra time to placed on his wrestling footwear and get humbled up on the mats.

“I want Sean would’ve taken some extra time to enhance his wrestling, however he has dynamic putting, he has knockout capabilities,” Askren mentioned. “Now, Merab has been comparatively unstoppable trying in his final handful of fights.”