Aldo (31-7 MMA, 13-6 UFC) meets Dvalishvili (14-4 MMA, 7-2 UFC) in a pivotal bantamweight clash at UFC 278 on Saturday’s at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ABC/ESPN and early prelims on ESPN+.
It’s been a busy few months for the 135-pound division. Marlon Vera knocked out ex-champ Dominick Cruz this past Saturday at UFC on ESPN 41. Petr Yan is scheduled to face Sean O’Malley at UFC 281 on Oct. 22. But Sonnen thinks the matchup between Aldo and Dvalishvili should play a factor in the title contention picture, too.
“I do feel that this is the underlooked fight of 135 pounds,” Sonnen said on his YouTube channel. “I’ve seen headlines and been part of conversations that has to do with O’Malley vs. Petr Yan, and I participated in this for over a month now. This fight is overlooked. We all had some fun with ‘Chito’ Vera going into Dominick Cruz’s hometown of San Diego.
“This fight matters, and no ones discussing it, and it’s not our fault. There’s a mistake here by Merab. There’s a mistake here by Aldo. … When you have the blessing of the sitting champion, you are in a match that matters, and this one’s going overlooked.”
However, Dvalishvili did say he wouldn’t fight his teammate and reigning champion Aljamain Sterling if he beats Aldo. Sonnen lauded Dvalishvili for his cardio and thinks Aldo needs to go right at him if he wants to find success.
“The strategy is very different when you have three rounds,” Sonnen said. “Jose Aldo can’t give away any time. Jose Aldo’s got those combinations. He can come to the head, he can touch you on the liver, he can chop you to the leg, but he has got to find those spots. He can’t go look for them. He has to find them right now.
“He cannot use the first round as feeling-out process or as a way to slow a guy down or as a way to measure a guy – anything that you’ve ever heard an announcer say for a boring part. He can’t do any of that stuff. He’s got to win right now. That’s generally harder to do on a younger guy.”
That being said, Sonnen picked Dvalishvili to beat the former featherweight king.
“These guys haven’t sold the fight, but they’ve sold us plenty of other good things. Let’s help them out here,” Sonnen said. “Let’s fill in the blanks. I’ll start. I’ll get the dialogue going. I’ll start with my prediction: I’m taking Merab.”
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