'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Merab Dvalishvili recently weighed in on the upcoming rematch against Sean O'Malley. Dvalishvili is set to put his bantamweight title on the line against O'Malley in the main event of UFC 316 on June 7 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
Trending
'The Machine' and O'Malley first met inside the octagon at UFC 306 in September 2024, where Dvalishvili delivered a dominant five-round performance to capture the 135-pound title. From start to finish, the Georgian native applied relentless pressure and showcased superior grappling to neutralize O'Malley’s striking arsenal.
During a recent interview with MMA journalist Aaron Bronsteter (via Sportsnet.ca), Dvalishvili opened up about his rematch with 'Sugar', stating that this time, he's aiming for a definitive finish to leave no room for O'Malley to set any narrative:
Get the latest updates on One Championship Rankings at Sportskeeda and more
"I'm excited for this fight. I know he was saying that he got injured and stuff. Let's see—we're going to find out one thing: it's hard for me to fight the same guy. Now he's not talking disrespectfully to me, and he's humble. The first time he was disrespectful, he was saying, 'I'm gonna show you.' This time, I gotta make sure to keep up the hard work again, and I'm gonna make sure to win this fight with even more dominance. I'm looking to finish this fight."
'The Machine' last competed at UFC 311 in January, where he secured a unanimous decision victory over Umar Nurmagomedov, marking his first successful defense of the bantamweight title.
Meanwhile, 'Sugar' is set to make his long-awaited return to the octagon, having not fought since their initial clash at UFC 306.
When Merab Dvalishvili's coach explained why Sean O'Malley rematch could be "tricky"
During an interview with James Lynch for Sportskeeda MMA in January, Merab Dvalishvili’s head coach, John Wood, shared his insights on the upcoming rematch with Sean O’Malley.
Wood recognized that 'Sugar' would likely return with significant adjustments, making him a more formidable threat in the rematch. However, he voiced confidence in Dvalishvili’s skill set to overcome any new challenges:
"I think that it's a two-sided sword where O'Malley's been in there with Merab... Rematches are always tricky. Merab had the element of surprise when you get in there; you've never been in there with somebody like that. Now he has, so I expect him and Tim [Welch] to come up with some game plan that would potentially shut some of the things down. But again, Merab is getting so much better at such a fast pace that I think no matter what goes on in there, he's going to be prepared."
Check out John Wood's comments below (8:50):
