Sean O’Malley on His Loss to Dvalishvili
Sean O’Malley lost his UFC title to Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 306. Two years later, a rematch loss and two 2026 wins have reshaped his path forward.
A difficult night at the Sphere
At UFC 306 in Las Vegas on September 14, 2024, Dvalishvili used pressure and wrestling to control much of the five-round main event. The judges awarded him a unanimous decision, making him the new UFC bantamweight champion. O’Malley later described the performance as falling short of what he had promised fans, while continuing to insist that the result was not an excuse for his loss. UFC’s official scorecards from UFC 306 record the decision.
There was medical context, too. O’Malley said he had suffered a torn labrum and planned hip surgery. Reuters reported that he expected several months of recovery, but also quoted him saying he felt good on fight night and did not want to use the injury as an excuse. That distinction matters: the injury helps explain his preparation, but Dvalishvili’s performance decided the fight. Reuters’ report on the surgery details what O’Malley said afterward.
The rematch did not go his way
O’Malley did not need a long rebuild to get another title opportunity. He faced Dvalishvili again in the main event of UFC 316 on June 7, 2025, but the champion won by a ninja-choke submission at 4:42 of the third round. UFC’s official UFC 316 results confirm the finish. The loss gave Dvalishvili a second victory over O’Malley and left the former champion needing to earn his way back toward the belt.
Two wins have changed the picture
O’Malley returned in 2026 with a unanimous-decision win over Song Yadong at UFC 324 on January 24. He followed it with a second-round knockout of Aiemann Zahabi at UFC Freedom 250 on June 14, stopping him at 4:02. The UFC athlete record lists both results. Those wins have restored momentum, though they have not erased the two losses to Dvalishvili or guaranteed another immediate title fight.
O’Malley has recently expressed interest in a possible matchup with Petr Yan. A report on their social-media exchange says the opportunity could depend on Yan’s upcoming title fight with Dvalishvili at UFC 333. That remains a possibility, not a booked matchup: the outcome of that fight and the UFC’s decision will shape the next step. MMA Mania reported on the exchange and the title-shot scenario.
For now, O’Malley’s route is clearer than it was after UFC 306: he has won twice since the rematch, and he is again relevant to the bantamweight title picture. A fight with Yan could strengthen that case, while another championship opportunity will depend on results still to come.
