Can Sean O'Malley deal with Merab Dvalishvili's grappling in their rematch? Examining adjustments 'Sugar' would have to make

Sean O'Malley is set to face Merab Dvalishvili in a rematch at UFC 316. The two men compete for the bantamweight title in the main event this evening. It's a classic striker vs. wrestler matchup, and O'Malley will have to contend with Dvalishvili's grappling skills to win.

While he could snipe 'The Machine' and knock him out early, or at the very least hurt him repeatedly to set up an eventual TKO, can he actually neutralize Dvalishvili's wrestling and grappling?

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Sean O'Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili: Wrestling adjustments

There is an underrated element to Sean O'Malley's defensive wrestling and grappling. He was able to defend takedowns from Petr Yan in their UFC 280 clash, and also initiate scrambles to get back to his feet when he did end up on his back. The Russian, for context, was able to take down Aljamain Sterling at UFC 259.

Furthermore, O'Malley maintains a long range, which is ideal for counter-striking. By controlling the distance, he can force Merab Dvalishvili to shoot for a takedown with a poor entry and from out of range, buying him more time to sprawl, and enough space to frame and separate, which he did against Sterling at UFC 292.

Check out Sean O'Malley defending Aljamain Sterling's takedown attempt:

Alternatively, he must keep the Georgian phenom at bay with the threat of intercepting uppercuts and knees to counter his level changes. Distance, lateral movement, and the threat of consequences in response to level changes are what will help O'Malley most.

If he allows Dvalishvili to close the distance, it's hopeless. In their first fight at UFC 306, O'Malley struggled with Dvalishvili's chain-wrestling, as the reigning bantamweight champion will immediately transition to another takedown if the prior one was defended.

Even worse for O'Malley are Dvalishvili's pace and strength . So, even if 'Sugar' manages to defend takedowns in the first few rounds, he is a striker and his muscles are unaccustomed to the slow, steady-state work necessary for prolonged wrestling and grappling sequences. His cardio is best-suited for striking.

If Umar Nurmagomedov, a more seasoned grappler ultimately gassed out against Dvalishvili at UFC 311, O'Malley is unlikely to have the cardio to consistently wrestle and grapple with him. He must prioritize distance management above all else. If not, he'll suffer a second straight loss to 'The Machine' at UFC 316.