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Sean O'Malley isn't afraid to give Merab Dvalishvili his flowers after losing their rematch at UFC 316.
'Suga' openly admitted to drastic lifestyle changes in anticipation of his rematch with 'The Machine,' and even though Dvalishvili delayed the fight to get the best version of O'Malley, it wasn't enough. Dvalishvili mauled his adversary for a third round submission.
Reflecting on his loss to Dvalishvili, O'Malley gave high praise to his opponent.
Pivotal fight featuring ex-champion reportedly targeted for UFC 319
Sean O'Malley calls Merab Dvalishvili the greatest bantamweight of all time
O'Malley reflected on the loss in a video uploaded to his YouTube channel on June 10. After suffering the first back-to-back losses in his career, he's not afraid to remark on how impressive Dvalishvili looked.
"It's so weird. He just felt so f****** compact and strong in there," O'Malley explained. "[He's the] greatest of all time, greatest bantamweight of all time.
". . . I was more nervous this fight than I've ever been. You feel vulnerable. You're in the cage like, 'This motherf***** grabs ahold of me, there's a chance I can't get away from [him].'"
Dvalishvili is certainly making a case for being the greatest bantamweight, especially considering his level of competition and how he's dominating them in the Octagon.
His current streak of thirteen wins contains five victories over former champions, all of whom he mauled.
The only competitive fight on Dvalishvili's championship record was against Umar Nurmagomedov, and hopefully, fans receive an even better spectacle in the rumored fight with Cory Sandhagen coming up.
More must-reads:
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Top moments from 2025 Baseball Hall of Fame inductions
The 2025 Baseball Hall of Fame class had its day in Cooperstown on Sunday. This year's class included Ichiro Suzuki, CC Sabathia and Billy Wagner, who were elected by the eligible voters from the Baseball Writer's Association of America, and Dave Parker and Dick Allen, who were elected by the Classic Baseball Era Committee. Here are some of the top highlights from Sunday's induction speeches. Dave Parker's son reads poem written by Hall of Fame father Parker's induction into the Hall of Fame was long overdue, and he sadly did not have the opportunity to enjoy the moment of seeing his name in the Hall of Fame as he died June 28. That left his speech in the hands of his son, Dave Parker II, who read a poem written by his dad. Parker spent the majority of his career with the Pittsburgh Pirates where he was an MVP winner, two-time batting champion and World Series champion with the 1979 "We Are Family" team. Dick Allen's wife remembers his kindness Allen was the other veterans committee inductee, and his widow, Willa Allen, spent the majority of her speech remember the kindness of Allen off the field as much as his ability on the field. Allen is going into the Hall of Fame as a Phillie but won the 1972 American League MVP with the Chicago White Sox. He led the league in OPS four times and was the 1964 National League Rookie of the Year. A reminder that Billy Wagner wasn't naturally left-handed Being left-handed is a huge advantage (and money-maker) for pitchers, and Wagner was one of the most dominant left-handed relief pitchers to ever step onto a mound in the big leagues. But he wasn't always left-handed. Wagner was a natural-born right-handed person but taught himself how to throw left-handed after fracturing his right arm twice as a kid. It led to quite a career. Wagner made a name for himself with the Houston Astros but also spent years with the Philadelphia Phillies, New York Mets, Atlanta Braves and Boston Red Sox. CC Sabathia takes playful dig at Ichiro Sabathia accomplished a ton in his 19-year big league career. He won 251 games, won the 2007 American League Cy Young Award, was the 2009 ALCS MVP and a World Series champion. He still has apparently not gotten over the one individual award he did not win — the 2001 American League Rookie of the Year Award, which went to fellow 2025 inductee Ichiro. Sabathia made sure to make a playful dig at that. Sabathia was the only American League rookie outside of Ichiro — who also won the American League MVP that year — to get a first-place vote. He received one. The others all went to Ichiro. Ichiro stole the show Ichiro stole 509 bases in his Hall of Fame career, and on Sunday, he added one more steal to his list of accomplishments by absolutely stealing the show at Cooperstown. He delivered two of the best lines of the day, first by calling out the one lone writer who did not vote for him, keeping him from being just the second unanimous Hall of Fame inductee ever (after Mariano Rivera). His best line of the day, however, might have been when he referenced his brief time as a member of the Miami Marlins toward the end of his career. Ichiro played 14 of his 19 seasons with the Seattle Mariners while also spending time with the Marlins and Yankees.
New report suggests Christian Wilkins release related to 'incident' with teammate
There may be more to Christian Wilkins’ recent surprise release from the Las Vegas Raiders. NFL reporter Josina Anderson reported Saturday that "some sources believe an incident involving a teammate may have factored in-part into the Raiders' fatigue and release" of Wilkins. The nature of the incident is not clear. However, many believe the Raiders had a very good reason to move on from Wilkins considering the money they had invested in him. It also suggests the Raiders saw no alternative if they went straight to a release. Wilkins was dumped by the Raiders just one year into a four-year, $110 million deal. The Raiders suggested Wilkins failed to take rehab seriously as he tries to work his way back from a foot injury. Other teams do not appear to have the same concerns about Wilkins as the Raiders did, and he should find a new landing spot fairly easily. That is one of the reasons some suspect there is more to the Raiders’ decision than they are publicly saying.
Packers CB Has 7-Word Message After Matt LaFleur’s Training Camp Warning
Green Bay Packers training camp has featured various highlights as the offense and defense prepare for the upcoming season. Head coach Matt LaFleur already praised what he's seen from multiple players after the first several days of camp. There are high expectations for this team, which many believe could take over the NFC North as division leaders and once again become a postseason contender. Last season, they were one of the only squads to rank in the NFL's top six for yards per game of offense and yards per game allowed on defense. And while both sides are giving it their all at training camp, one specific player has caught the attention of head coach Matt LaFleur, prompting a discussion about going a bit too far on defense. As of Sunday at Packers' camp, some of cornerback Nate Hobbs' hits were reportedly excessive and not the type of plays LaFleur wanted from him against his teammates, especially with the NFL season approaching. According to ESPN's Rob Demovsky, that resulted in a lecture from the head coach to the team's new corner. LaFleur said he knew the plays weren't "malicious" on Hobbs' part but wanted him to dial it back. Hobbs admitted he felt bad about one particular hit on Dontayvion Wicks and told him, "it's nothing personal," but also said it's part of how he plays. After LaFleur's warning, Hobbs seems extra motivated to go once camp arrives on Monday, due to a gear change that will allow him to go harder. "Pads tomorrow. We gon' see who's who," Hobbs said in a message ahead of upcoming on-field battles with his teammates. The 2025-26 season marks Nate Hobbs' first season with the Packers after four seasons with the Las Vegas Raiders. During his NFL career, he's racked up 281 total tackles, three sacks, three forced fumbles, and three interceptions. In March, he signed a four-year, $48 million contract with the Packers. He became a key offseason acquisition for Green Bay after Jaire Alexander's departure, joining corners Keisean Nixon and Carrington Valentine. Defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley praised him several months ago amid uncertainty about Alexander's status with the team. "He is competitive, he's tough, he is physical, he plays the game fast, you can tell he loves it. It just jumps off the tape," Hafley said, per ESPN. As training camp resumes this week, Hobbs will continue to showcase his abilities, potentially trying to strike a balance between his passion for the game and caution to avoid injuring teammates before the season.
Top three notable names to leave the NBA for Europe this summer
There are only 450 spots in the NBA, 540 if you count two-way contracts. Each year, there's a group of players who hit the free-agency market and quietly fade into the obscurity of professional basketball outside of the NBA's bubble. Most of those players head overseas, either to Europe, Australia or China. In recent years, the jump from the NBA to Europe has grown in popularity. The talent level across the top European leagues has dramatically increased, with some teams now closing in on NBA levels of skill and athleticism. And with that talent increase, the pay has started to rise, too. It makes sense, then, that some notable names for NBA fans have made the jump across the Atlantic this summer. Here are the top three players to head to Europe since the start of the offseason. Lonnie Walker IV This time last summer, there was significant chatter about whether Lonnie Walker IV would earn the 15th and final spot on the Boston Celtics roster. The same roster that had won the NBA championship just months earlier. After seeing his Exhibit 10 deal with Boston expire, Walker ended up heading to Lithuania to play for Zalgiris Kaunas before the Philadelphia 76ers brought him back for the second half of the season. Now, after failing to secure a new contract with the Sixers, Walker is heading to Israel, where he's signed a three-year, $10 million deal with Maccabi Tel Aviv. Walker will now be one of the highest earners within all of European basketball. Oshae Brissett Walker will join Oshae Brissett over in Tel Aviv, as the former NBA champion has also signed with the franchise this summer. Brissett is just 18 months removed from playing a role on the Celtics roster that won the 2024 championship. Brissett doesn't have the athleticism and scoring skill that Walker brings to the table. As such, he won't be bringing home the same level of pay packet. However, he will undoubtedly be one of the better players, both in the Israeli league and in Europe. Brissett leaves the NBA having played in 233 games, averaging 6.6 points and 3.9 rebounds on 41.9 percent shooting from two-point range and 33.7 percent from deep. Shake Milton Nobody can deny that Shake Milton has outperformed expectations after entering the NBA as the 54th pick in the 2018 draft. He leaves the NBA having suited up for 359 regular-season games and 40 postseason outings. Milton has spent time with the Philadelphia 76ers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Detroit Pistons, New York Knicks, Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Lakers. Impressively, he's consistently earned playing time, regardless of what roster he's been on. Nevertheless, it would appear that Milton has sought out an opportunity where he can be a core member of a rotation. According to Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews, Milton has signed a two-year deal to play in Serbia for Partizan Belgrade. If he can adjust to the physicality of the Serbian league and the slightly different rules set, Milton could become a high-level player in the domestic league and perhaps even in Europe.
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