Merab Dvalishvili is down a slightly swollen pinky toe—but insists he’s still locked in for UFC 316.
The UFC bantamweight champion isn’t sweating the minor foot injury that caused a brief stir earlier this week. After posting a video of his right pinky toe looking battered and inflamed, Dvalishvili joked with a teammate, “Why you break my toe?” and even suggested he’d cut it off if needed. Still, he was caught off guard by how much attention the clip received.
“I was surprised how much reaction there was from people,” Dvalishvili told reporters Thursday during a media scrum at Syndicate MMA in Las Vegas. “Everybody was like [freaking out]. Guys, it’s nothing. Really, it’s nothing.”
To prove the point, Dvalishvili showed off the toe again—less discolored, still a little puffy, but fully functional.
“No more black and blue,” he said. “Still a little fat, but it’s good. I’m walking. It’s a little pinky toe—it won’t be any problem. Like I said, I have nine other toes. I’m good.”
The 135-pound champ is currently preparing to defend his title in a rematch with Sean O’Malley, who he dominated last September at UFC 306. The pair will run it back on June 7 in Newark, headlining UFC 316 at the Prudential Center.
Injuries have hovered over both matchups. Last time, Dvalishvili posted a graphic training cut weeks before the fight, which drew criticism from UFC CEO Dana White. This time, he says the toe is barely worth mentioning—and made clear that if anything were serious, it wouldn’t have made it to social media.
Dvalishvili has also noticed the energy around the rematch feels different—not just because he’s champion now, but because he believes O’Malley is coming in more prepared and motivated.
“Him and his coach studied our fight,” Dvalishvili said. “They know my strongest ways, my weaknesses. They had a long camp. I’m expecting the best version of Sean O’Malley.”
Acknowledging O’Malley’s lifestyle changes and improvements in camp, Dvalishvili said he’s no longer struggling to find motivation to face someone he already beat. Instead, he’s bracing for a more well-rounded opponent and hinted the rematch could look much different.
“We may see Sean defend my takedowns. We may see us go striking. I’m ready for that,” he said. “It’s going to be a good fight, for sure. He’s a great striker, and I can’t relax for one second. We all know he can crack me—or maybe I crack him.”
With fight week fast approaching, Dvalishvili said he feels sharp, healthy, and ready to cut weight. The toe? Already old news.
