Israel Adesanya might be on a break from the Octagon, but even from the comfort of his home in New Zealand, his presence continues to cast a long shadow over the UFC. Though currently away from active competition, Izzy seems to have discovered a new way to stay connected to the sport through commentary. It could very well be the beginning of a new chapter in his post-fighting journey.

Recently, Israel Adesanya has embraced a more commentator-like role, tuning into UFC PPV events and sharing his insights with fans. One such moment came during UFC 316, a card that carried personal significance as his training partner, Sean O’Malley, took on reigning bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili in the main event. ‘Suga’ had worked closely with the Nigerian-Kiwi to refine his striking ahead of the bout. But inside Newark’s Prudential Center, Dvalishvili overwhelmed him.

With unrelenting pressure and sharp striking, Merab Dvalishvili forced Sean O’Malley onto the back foot and ultimately submitted him in the third round with a guillotine choke. Like many fans watching from around the world, Israel Adesanya witnessed the crushing loss. Sharing his raw reaction on his YouTube channel, he couldn’t help but respect ‘The Machine’s performance, “F–k off. No! He’s f– ing good. You gotta give it up, man. He’s—he’s good. Damn. F–ing—he’s just good, bro. So good. “Merab is that guy. You just can’t f—king fault him. Sean did better, he did well…but Merab, just f—king like a steam engine, just keeps coming.”

There’s no doubt—Merab Dvalishvili is “too good” at what he does. With a growing list of elite opponents under his belt, including names like Petr Yan, Henry Cejudo, and Umar Nurmagomedov, ‘The Machine’ has navigated the shark-infested waters of the bantamweight division with dominance. Now riding an incredible 13-fight win streak, he’s joined rare company, standing alongside legends like Jon Jones and Khabib Nurmagomedov, cementing his legacy during the prime of his career.

After Israel Adesanya, Jon Jones & Sean O’Malley praised Merab Dvalishvili

“Welcomes and congratulations,” wrote UFC’s reigning heavyweight champion Jon Jones, extending his praise to Merab Dvalishvili after the bantamweight king extended his win streak to 13. Dvalishvili shut down Sean O’Malley with surgical precision, dismantling his game plan and crushing any hopes of a title reclaim. Back at UFC 306, Dvalishvili had already snatched the belt from ‘Suga’.

UFC 316 was supposed to be Sean O’Malley’s redemption arc—a chance to rewrite the narrative. In preparation, he made major sacrifices, giving up the things he loves most: social media, marijuana, and poker. Ahead of the anticipated rematch, ‘Suga’ had said, “I always felt pretty good. I always felt like I could feel better. Whether it helps the performance or not, I feel better. That’s all that matters.”

But when the cage doors closed last Saturday, it was Merab Dvalishvili’s night. The champion put on another dominant performance and retained his title. After the loss, Sean O’Malley didn’t shy away from giving credit where it was due.  Speaking at the post-fight press conference, he acknowledged ‘The Machine’s grit, “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.”

Now riding a 13-fight win streak, ‘The Machine’ continues his golden march through the UFC. With Anderson Silva’s legendary 16-fight streak in sight, the question now is: Can Merab Dvalishvili surpass ‘The Spider’ and carve out his place in UFC history? Drop your thoughts below, can he break the record?