Merab Dvalishvili isn’t having any of Sean O’Malley’s nonsense.

This past weekend, Dvalishvili won the bantamweight title, taking a unanimous decision victory over O’Malley in the main event of UFC 306. Though in the immediate aftermath O’Malley offered “no excuses,” on Thursday “Suga” changed his tune, disputing the judging in the fight, claiming to still be the 135-pound champion, and saying he will defend the title against Umar Nurmagomedov next summer. But the true champion isn’t having it.

Taking to Instagram with a response to O’Malley, Dvalishvili trolled the former champion with a video showing him acting as a disapproving father towards O’Malley.

“What the f*ck, bro?! What’s going on? Sean, is that you my friend? What’s wrong with you, bro? Why do you keep smoking, my friend? I thought you were just sleeping now. It’s sleep time for you, bro. Come on, bro.

“Listen son, don’t worry about this Umar Nurmagomedov. I will take care of Umar. You’re not a champion anymore. I’m going to take belt from you again, so you drive safe, son. Let’s go Sean. No more smoking. Drive safe.”

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Merab also kisses the doll version of O’Malley several times on the head, a callback to the curious exchange that occurred during their fight.

Regardless of O’Malley’s claims, Dvalishvili remains the undisputed UFC bantamweight champion and appears poised to defend his title against either Umar Nurmagomedov or possible Deiveson Figueiredo sometime next year. Meanwhile, O’Malley is headed for surgery to repair a torn labrum in his hip and will be out of action for at least six months.

The Scottish FA’s new Key Match Incident Review Panel has determined that the decision not to red card St Mirren’s Shaun Rooney for this incident on Saturday was incorrect.

The five-person panel – three of whom are coaches, former players or from the media, with one Scottish FA and one SPFL club representative – decreed that not showing a red card for violent conduct was a mistake, as was VAR Andrew Dallas’ decision not to intervene.

Rooney was not booked for twice kicking Kilmarnock’s Kyle Vassell and, in fact, was awarded a free-kick by referee Matthew MacDermid.

Anthony Joshua has his chance to become world champion again.

The British star challenges Daniel Dubois for the IBF heavyweight title on Saturday at Wembley Stadium in London, and both fighters successfully made weight at Friday’s official weigh-ins. Joshua weighed in at 252.7 pounds, just a few pounds heavier than Dubois.

Joshua (28-3) enters Saturday’s contest on a four-fight win streak. He has bounced back impressively following a pair of title fight losses to Oleksandr Usyk and now has his chance to regain the IBF title that he dropped to Usyk in 2021.

In his most recent outing this past March, Joshua defeated former UFC champion and current PFL fighter Francis Ngannou via highlight-reel knockout.

“I look at myself as a gladiator and I’m about to step into an arena tomorrow to perform for the people who love to see blood, guts, and glory,” Joshua said in his post-weigh-in interview. “I’m pumped and I’m ready to perform for the people.”

Dubois (21-2) scored an eighth-round TKO victory over the previously undefeated Filip Hrgovic this past June to capture an interim IBF heavyweight championship. That same month, Dubois was elevated to undisputed status when Usyk vacated his share of the title.

See full Joshua vs. Dubois weigh-in results below.

Fight Card (PPV.com at 11 a.m. ET)

Anthony Joshua (252.7) vs. Daniel Dubois (248.6) — IBF heavyweight title fight

Tyler Denny (159.9) vs. Hamza Sheeraz (159.6) — EBU European middleweight title fight

Joshua Buatsi (174.7) vs. Willy Hutchinson (174.9) — WBO interim light heavyweight title fight

Anthony Cacace (129.8) vs. Josh Warrington (129.5) — IBF and IBO super featherweight title fight

Ishmael Davis (159.3) vs. Josh Kelly (159.1) — 12-round middleweight fight

Mark Chamberlain (139.4) vs. Josh Padley (139.6) — 10-round lightweight fight

Oscar De La Hoya doesn’t always compliment the UFC, but his recent attendance at Sphere resulted in an exception.

UFC 306, also known as Noche UFC, took place this past Saturday in Las Vegas and De La Hoya was there – despite his longtime rivalry with Dana White. De La Hoya was among the guests in the box seats of Turki Alalshikh, the Saudi Arabian adviser heading “Riyadh Season,” which was a sponsor of the event.

De La Hoya said Thursday in an Instagram post that he head a great time at the event and praised the production – while still taking shots at White.

“Last weekend gave me some good material, so let’s get into it right now,” De La Hoya said. “OK guys, so UFC Noche: I was true to my word. I did attend last Saturday. I sat in Turki’s box upstairs, and I have to be honest with you: It was beautiful. It was spectacular. It looked really cool. The production value was there. Everything was amazing. The fights were actually really good.

“So congratulations to Turki for footing the bill on this and making his celebration of the Mexican culture come to life. And Dana, I know this wasn’t your idea or vision. Nothing ever is at the UFC. You’re the Fertittas’ errand boy. But I’m always honest and fair, and I want to praise the production. UFC Noche was a good time and I really enjoyed it.”

De La Hoya and White have feuded consistently throughout the years. However, De La Hoya still was included in the UFC’s tribute packages to Mexican combat sports played at the event.

“He’s an asshole, but you can’t deny what he did,” White told reporters including MMA Junkie after the event. “The guy is a f*cking lunatic, but he was a bad boy in his day before he got his fake abs. Yeah, he used to have real abs.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 306.

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers says he doubts “there’s anyone better in world football” at pressing defenders than Daizen Maeda.

The 26-year-old Japan forward was picked out for praise on Champions League Match of the Day by former team-mate Joe Hart for “setting the tone” during Wednesday’s 5-1 demolition of Slovan Bratislava.

And Rodgers knows his front players deserve a slice of credit for the concession of only two goals in seven matches – all victories – this season.

“That’s where the game starts,” he said. “I’ve seen reports in terms of the team doing very well, keeping clean sheets and the goalkeeper and the back four.

“It starts at the front. And I would doubt there’s anyone better in world football than Daizen Maeda in that context.”

Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner says their fine form at the end of last season meant “expectations were wrong” going into this campaign.

Palace won six of their last seven games of 2023-24, scoring 21 goals in that run. They ended up on 49 points, their best 38-game Premier League season.

But their only two wins this season have come in the Carabao Cup – against Championship sides Norwich and QPR – and they sit on two points from four games.

This is Glasner’s first full season in charge, having taken over in February.

Speaking before Saturday’s home game with Manchester United, the Austrian said: “The last seven games were great but the first 31 weren’t great – it doesn’t mean it continues like the last seven.

“The expectations were wrong because when you win two it doesn’t mean you win the next one, and when you lost two it doesn’t mean you lose the next one.

“After 31 rounds we were five points away from relegation. That is fact.

“We didn’t expect we win every game and play Champions League. When your highest number is 49 [points] you can’t expect 78.”