O’Malley vs. Dvalishvili 2: Will History Repeat Itself or Be Rewritten?
The UFC has officially announced that Bantamweight Champion Sean O’Malley will return to the Octagon to face Merab Dvalishvili in a high-stakes rematch headlining UFC 316 in Newark, New Jersey. Their first meeting, which took place at the Sphere for UFC 306, ended in a clear decision victory for Merab. His relentless wrestling and control time, particularly in the second and fourth rounds, neutralized O'Malley's striking despite some damage Sean landed late in the fifth. Now, nearly a year later, the question looms: can O'Malley flip the script, or will Merab’s smothering style once again shut down the champion?
Since their last clash, Merab has remained active and dominant, most recently defeating the undefeated Umar Nurmagomedov in January. While Umar showed more success stuffing takedowns than O’Malley, he faded in the later rounds, overwhelmed by Merab’s trademark cardio and pressure. O’Malley, on the other hand, has taken a different path. Following the loss, he stepped away from the spotlight, taking a break from social media to focus on improving his skill set and staying healthy. Though he hasn’t fought since sources close to his camp say he’s more focused than ever.
For O’Malley to win this rematch, the key is simple: keep the fight standing. On the ground, he’ll be at a major disadvantage, especially if Merab racks up control time as he did in their first encounter. However, if the bout stays on its feet, O’Malley’s chances grow significantly. He remains one of the most accurate and dangerous strikers in the division, and with the fight likely lasting 25 minutes, it gives ample time for Sean to land a strike, and it only takes one clean shot to change everything, just ask Aljamain Sterling. Even in their first fight, O'Malley landed a powerful body shot in the fifth round that clearly hurt Merab. Had it come earlier, the outcome might have been very different. Add in Merab’s tendency to showboat and drop his guard, a risky move against a precision striker, and there's always a chance lightning could strike.
Still, this will be an uphill battle for O'Malley. Merab's cardio, pace, and grappling are among the best in the UFC, and he’s shown he can drown even elite opponents with his pressure. Yet, Merab’s striking remains his weakest area, and he’s been rocked in past fights, most notably by Henry Cejudo. If O’Malley can create space, use his footwork, and keep Merab honest with accurate counters, he has a puncher’s chance. However, make no mistake, he’ll have to survive a relentless storm of takedown attempts and grind through Merab’s suffocating style.
