Dvalishvili Submits O’Malley in UFC 316 Rematch
The rematch discussed here took place at UFC 316 on June 7, 2025; Merab Dvalishvili submitted Sean O’Malley by ninja choke in Round 3. Dvalishvili later lost the title to Petr Yan by unanimous decision at UFC 323 on December 6, 2025. UFC 316 results · UFC 323 results.
Dvalishvili’s dominant performance at UFC 306 in September 2024 saw him dethrone O’Malley via unanimous decision. The Georgian fighter’s relentless wrestling and cardio proved too much for O’Malley’s striking-based game plan. Judges scored the bout 49-46 and 48-47 twice in favor of Dvalishvili, ending O’Malley’s brief reign as champion.
Despite the clear victory, O’Malley has been vocal about his desire for an immediate rematch. The colorful fighter claims that a pre-existing hip injury hampered his performance and believes he can reclaim the title in a second bout. O’Malley has even gone so far as to argue that he won three out of five rounds based on damage inflicted, though this view contradicts the official scorecards and general consensus among fans and media.
While Dvalishvili’s first title defense was expected to come against the undefeated Umar Nurmagomedov, recent reports suggest the Dagestani fighter may be unavailable in the near future. This unexpected development has reignited discussions about a potential Dvalishvili-O’Malley rematch.
The UFC has a history of granting immediate rematches to long-reigning or popular champions who lose their titles. O’Malley, despite his short time as champion, certainly fits the bill in terms of star power and fan interest. His unique personality and highlight-reel knockouts have made him one of the most marketable fighters on the roster.
However, Dvalishvili’s team may argue that the first fight was decisive enough to warrant a fresh challenger. The new champion has expressed interest in facing other top contenders and cementing his place atop the division.
As the bantamweight landscape continues to evolve, fight fans eagerly await official announcements from the UFC. Will we see Dvalishvili vs. O’Malley 2, or will a new challenger emerge to face the newly crowned champion? The coming weeks should provide clarity on the division’s exciting future.
Citations:
[1] https://www.espn.com/mma/story/_/id/41267510/merab-dvalishvili-wrestles-away-sean-omalley-ufc-title-rout
[2] https://www.si.com/fannation/mma/news/sean-omalley-contests-ufc-306-title-loss-merab-dvalishvili
[3] https://sports.yahoo.com/sean-omalley-aiming-for-merab-dvalishvili-title-rematch-i-know-im-better-than-him-232415995.html
[4] https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10135401-merab-dvalishvili-beats-sean-omalley-by-ud-at-ufc-306-to-win-bantamweight-title
[5] https://apnews.com/article/ufc-306-omalley-dvalishvili-grasso-shevchenko-white-fd5ce53df5fe047d2fe3b53e5141ba7e
[6] https://www.reddit.com/r/MMA/comments/1fh5u05/spoiler_sean_omalley_vs_merab_dvalishvili/
[7] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-vLuYU6D_w
Sources
Tags: Wrestling, Olympic Wrestling, UFC 316
