Merab Dvalishvili Proves He’s a Force to Be Reckoned With, Dominates Sean O’Malley at UFC 316

Merab Dvalishvili just keeps getting better—and his dominant performance at UFC 316 solidified his place as one of the most unstoppable forces in the bantamweight division. On Saturday night, inside the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, the reigning UFC bantamweight champion earned his first-ever submission victory, tapping out Sean O’Malley with a vicious north-south choke to defend his title in the main event. The win marked Dvalishvili’s second victory over O'Malley, extending his dominance with a perfect 2-0 record against the former champion.

The fight was a perfect display of Dvalishvili's relentless pace and cardio, two aspects of his game that have become his trademark. From the opening bell, the 34-year-old Georgian fighter imposed his will on O'Malley, drowning the former champ in an unrelenting barrage of takedown attempts. Despite O'Malley’s much-improved takedown defense, which saw him defend six of the first eight attempts, it was only a matter of time before Dvalishvili’s non-stop pressure would take its toll.

By the third round, O'Malley was visibly exhausted, and it was in this critical moment that Dvalishvili finally broke through. He landed 3 out of 4 takedowns in the final stanza, slowly chipping away at the fatigued O'Malley before locking in the north-south choke that sealed the fight. O'Malley, frustrated and out of answers, tapped out, surrendering the bantamweight title to Dvalishvili in a fight that ended with a clear statement: the "Machine" is the man to beat in the division.

“I knew Sean was well-prepared, and I knew he’d make adjustments because he’s a smart fighter,” said Dvalishvili post-fight. “But I’m getting better and better. I have more tools in my pocket, and I will keep showing them little by little. Now it’s my time.”

With the victory, Dvalishvili (20-4) continues his remarkable ascent, maintaining his undefeated streak in title defenses, including his January victory over Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC 311. His 13-fight win streak now ties for the fourth-longest in UFC history, and he remains one of the most dominant bantamweights in recent memory.

Dvalishvili also set his sights on the next big challenge: Cory Sandhagen. The top bantamweight contender and former title challenger has been vocal about his desire for another shot at UFC gold, and Dvalishvili appears ready to test himself against the highly skilled Sandhagen, whom he called “the most deserving guy.” With his characteristic respect for his competitors,

Dvalishvili also expressed admiration for Sandhagen’s attitude and humor.

As for O'Malley (18-3, 1 NC), this loss marks the first losing streak of his career, and he’ll have to regroup after back-to-back defeats to Dvalishvili. The 30-year-old had not fought since his September loss to Dvalishvili at the UFC’s Las Vegas Sphere, and this second setback has left the former champ with plenty of questions to answer.

“I didn’t think it would go like this,” O'Malley admitted post-fight. “Unfortunately, it did. Merab is a motherf***er. He’s the most deserving guy.”

Dvalishvili’s latest triumph only further cements his place at the top of the bantamweight division and pushes him closer to being regarded as one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the UFC today. Entering UFC 316 as Uncrowned's No. 3 ranked fighter, he is now poised to continue his reign with new challenges on the horizon. For now, however, the title defense against O'Malley will be remembered as a key milestone in his legendary journey.

As Dvalishvili himself said, “Now it’s my time.”