Merab Dvalishvili Dominates Sean O’Malley in UFC 316 Title defense

Updated June ⁤8, 2025
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Merab Dvalishvili cemented‍ his dominance⁤ over Sean O’Malley, securing ⁤a third-round⁢ submission victory at UFC 316 in Newark, N.J. The fight, a rematch for the 135-pound title, saw Dvalishvili (20-4) control the action against O’Malley (18-3) at the Prudential Center.

Dvalishvili’s relentless ‍pressure adn superior striking⁢ lead to a decisive ⁤win. He secured a D’Arce⁤ choke at 4:42 of the third round, leaving no doubt about his status‍ as the bantamweight ⁣champion‍ and a top pound-for-pound fighter.

The victory extends‍ Dvalishvili’s winning streak to 13,tying him for the fourth-longest ‍in UFC history. He also now holds 12 bantamweight wins, ⁣placing ⁤him fourth‍ on the all-time list.

“I just work every day and repeat,” dvalishvili said. “Training is number⁣ one for‍ me…. ‍It doesn’t matter what you have as long as you know⁢ where you’re‍ going and you have a goal. ⁢Guys, please believe in ⁢your dreams and⁢ work for them. Everything is possible.”

O’Malley, despite ⁣undergoing hip surgery and making lifestyle changes before the fight, couldn’t overcome Dvalishvili’s smothering style. While he displayed composure, he ⁣struggled to match Dvalishvili’s output.

UFC Stats showed Dvalishvili outlanded ⁣O’Malley ⁣135-34 in‍ total ⁢strikes and completed five of⁣ 12 takedowns,⁣ highlighting his control of the fight.

“I didn’t ‍feel like it was ⁢going to go like that, unfortunately,” O’Malley said. “Merab is a motherf—er. I just feel super grateful I get to do this. I have a two-week ‍old ⁣and a 4-year‍ old, a perfect wife. I’m excited to go home and spend some time with them. But Merab is a motherf—er.”

What’s next

Dvalishvili, now with a second successful⁣ title⁢ defense, is likely to face No. 1 contender Cory Sandhagen (18-5) next. sandhagen is coming off a recent win against Deiveson Figueiredo.