Merab Dvalishili didn’t fight at UFC 288, but he managed to steal the show. Dvalishvili turned audience attention away from his teammate Aljamain Sterling’s victory over Henry Cejudo when he stole Octagon invader Sean O’Malley’s jacket midway through O’Malley’s attempt to steal Sterling’s spotlight.
Dvalishvili explained his celebration, and the aftermath, in a recent appearance on The MMA Hour. “I tried to get there [for the faceoff] quick, make sure I stay there, because [then I could] make sure [O’Malley] doesn’t do something stupid or his coach or somebody.
Merab Dvalishvili Opens Up About UFC 288 Scuffle With “Christmas Tree” Sean O’Malley
I was there just in case, and when he started talking s***, I said, ‘Yo, yo, chill, chill.’ I was smiling, because ‘Aljo’ and him are going to fight, but I don’t want to be disrespectful to O’Malley, but I also I want to tell him, ‘This is Aljo’s moment. Yo, a little bit chill. Just be respectful for a champion.’ And he started taking [off his] jacket and I was there — and I can’t wait to grab his jacket.
As soon as he takes it off — I help him actually to take off the hand and then I grab it — Al [Iaquinta] was next to me and then he told me, ‘Don’t give him it back.’ And then I’m like looking [around for] one second, I said, ‘I have an even better idea,’ and then I put it on. What’s he going to do?
And soon as security break them a little bit. I just ran to the cage and I just celebrate the new jacket.” Dvalishvili even threw a verbal jab at O’Malley over how well the jacket fit his diminutive frame.
“Actually, I liked the jacket. Like I said, man, I don’t like Henry Cejudo’s team jacket. I like O’Malley’s jacket. I was scared if it was going to fit, because I have a lot of muscle. This guy is skinny. But because I guess he’s tall and he looks like a Christmas tree, it fit good on me.”
O’Malley seemed incensed by Dvalishvili’s antics, who remained unfazed by the situation. This Christmas tree, I don’t care [if he was upset]. Sometimes he’s funny, sometimes he’s a little boy.
Sometimes I like him, sometimes I’m not sure, because come on, he should never disrespect the champion and he shouldn’t act like this, act like a little kid. So yeah, and then when I jumped back [in the cage] and I saw, yeah, he was pissed off.
I was feeling bad for him because he was standing naked [so I gave it back]. He’s a skinny guy. I don’t want to get him sick and make an excuse for Aljo’s fight or something like that.”
