Relentless Pressure: Dvalishvili Outworks O'Malley in Title Rematch
If Sean O'Malley fans were hoping for a classic comeback at UFC 316, they left Newark stunned. Merab Dvalishvili, known for his endless gas tank and tireless wrestling, took the cage against O'Malley not to squeeze out a decision but to send an unmistakable message to the bantamweight division. Barely letting O'Malley breathe, the Georgian champion snatched a third-round ninja choke, ending the fight at 4:42 and keeping his UFC 316 bantamweight belt tightly in his grasp.
Right from the opening minutes, it was clear Dvalishvili wasn't going to give O'Malley space to work his usual flashy striking. Instead, Merab showed off improved distance management, moving forward nonstop, constantly forcing clinches against the fence, and mixing in lightning-fast takedown attempts. For O'Malley, who could usually count on dictating range with his long reach (a four-inch advantage), the champion's approach offered no safe quarter.
O'Malley tried to switch gears in the second round. He focused on controlling the center, attempted to time knees and uppercuts, and improved his takedown defense—but Merab never relented. Every time O'Malley landed a clean shot, Merab answered immediately, chaining together medium-range punches, knees in the clinch, and dogged wrestling.
The Decisive Finish, Shifting Momentum, and What’s Next
By round three, the long-form punishment started to show. Dvalishvili pressed O'Malley to the fence, then secured a quick double-leg, moving immediately to the neck for a slick ninja choke. O'Malley tried to scramble free, but Dvalishvili, showcasing superior grappling. The tap came at 4:42 of the round, carving out a more definitive ending than their first fight in September 2024, which went the distance on the judges' scorecards.
The stats leading into the fight suggested a close matchup: O’Malley had a slight edge in reach, being four years younger, and posted a marginally better takedown defense. But on fight night, those numbers didn’t matter—Dvalishvili simply outpaced and outworked him. Instead of waiting for a highlight-reel knockout, the crowd got a lesson in grind-heavy, calculated wrestling and pressure fighting.
The co-main event brought its own shakeup, with Kayla Harrison claiming her first UFC women’s bantamweight title after a one-sided performance against Julianna Peña. Harrison’s arrival at the top of the division instantly fired up speculation, especially with UFC icon Amanda Nunes announcing, inside the Prudential Center, that she isn’t done. Nunes said she wants to challenge whichever woman wears the crown—so when Kayla’s name went on the belt, the MMA world buzzed with talk of a super-fight that could turn the division upside down.
Elsewhere on the card, Patchy Mix stepped into the Octagon for the first time, facing Mario Bautista in a debut that had hardcore fans glued to the action. Kelvin Gastelum and Joe Pyfer finally squared off after delays, bringing even more fireworks to an already stacked night. The real story, though, stayed with Dvalishvili—his pace, his adaptation, and his choke. If there was any doubt, this win showed the bantamweight division still goes through Merab Dvalishvili.
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