O’Malley Falls to Merab Again at UFC 316, Sean O’Malley stepped into the Octagon at UFC 316 with redemption on his mind—but once again, Merab Dvalishvili had other plans.
In their highly anticipated rematch, Dvalishvili defended his bantamweight title in dominant fashion, submitting O’Malley in the final seconds of the third round. It was a finish that mirrored their first meeting at UFC 306 nine months ago, when Merab wrestled the belt away from O’Malley after five grueling rounds.
This time, though, O’Malley did show noticeable improvement. He stuffed more takedowns, moved with sharper intent, and tried to keep the fight in his world—on the feet. But Merab’s pressure, wrestling, and top control still proved too much. Once the Georgian got him to the mat, it felt like a matter of time. By the end of Round 3, O’Malley was trapped in a choke with nowhere to go.
After the loss, O’Malley kept it real. Although he was upset with his defeat, the fighter was nonetheless impressed with Merab’s performance and praised him for his skills.
“I didn’t feel like it was going to go like that—but unfortunately, it did,” he said. “Merab’s a motherf*cker. I just wanted to stick around and thank everybody that came out and supported us. If it wasn’t for you guys, this shit wouldn’t be possible. I feel super, super grateful right now that I get to do this.”
And despite the heartbreak, O’Malley stayed grounded in what matters most.
“I have a two-week-old at home, a four-year-old at home, and a perfect wife. I’m excited to go home and spend time with them—but Merab’s a motherf*cker.”
That quote stuck. It was raw, honest, and vintage O’Malley.
Still, his back-to-back losses to Dvalishvili have raised questions. The first bout saw O’Malley completely smothered for five rounds. This second outing ended even faster.
At 30, O’Malley finds himself at a crossroads. The road back to title contention just got steeper—and as long as Merab holds the belt, it’s hard to see him climbing it again without serious evolution.
But one thing’s for sure: O’Malley isn’t done.
“A hundred percent,” he said when Joe Rogan asked if we’d see him back. “Thank you guys for coming out.”
Whether you love him or hate him, O’Malley knows how to show up, own the moment, and keep it real—even in defeat. Now it’s about regrouping, rebuilding, and figuring out what’s next in the toughest division in the UFC.
