The excitement for UFC 316 is at an all-time high, with Merab Dvalishvili set to defend his bantamweight title against Sean O’Malley in a much-anticipated rematch on June 7, 2025, at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. After defeating ‘Suga’ at UFC 306 and defending it against Umar Nurmagomedov in January, ‘The Machine’ has been unbeaten since 2018, riding a 12-fight UFC win run fueled by unrivaled cardio and relentless grappling pressure.

But just days before the match, fans were taken aback when Dvalishvili released a video of what appeared to be a fractured toe he suffered during practice. While the video showed a swollen pinky toe and some fun banter with teammate Cameron Sandoval, doubts quickly arose regarding the champion’s health. Was this a real setback, or just another strange overshare from the Georgian? And how will it affect his rematch? Well, let’s find out all about it.

Merab Dvalishvili Reveals Toe Fracture Before UFC 316

Merab Dvalishvili has never tried to hide his battle scars, whether they be stitches above his eye or leg cuts from past training camps. So it came as no surprise when he casually posted a video on Instagram joking about a fractured pinky toe, blaming it on a sparring incident with top bantamweight contender Cameron Sandoval.

“Why you break my toe, my friend?” The Georgian laughed in the video while pointing to his completely swollen toe. Sandoval responded that ‘The Machine’ had kicked him in the head, which caused the toe injury in the first place. Fans were concerned after seeing the post, especially considering this isn’t the first time ‘The Machine’ has gone public with pre-fight injuries.

Before his first fight against Sean O’Malley, he revealed that he needed stitches above his left eye, which UFC CEO Dana White memorably dubbed “next-level stupid.” Prior to his fight with Nurmagomedov, Dvalishvili reportedly suffered a staph infection and leg wounds, which his coach subsequently admitted left him “half-dead” for the fight. So, naturally, his pinky toe became the newest point of debate leading into UFC 316.

Is Merab Dvalishvili 100% Recovered From Injury?

Merab Dvalishvili addressed the mounting speculation during an open workout at Syndicate MMA. He stated that the injury is minimal and will not influence his performance. “No more black and blue. Still a little fat, but it’s good,” he told reporters. Indeed, he stressed that it was only a pinky toe and nothing major. “I have nine other toes, and I’m good,” he said with a smile.

According to the bantamweight kingpin, the video sparked far more reaction than he anticipated. And that he attributed to people overthinking a harmless training mishap. ‘The Machine’ added, “I was surprised how much reaction there was from people. It’s like, guys, it’s nothing really.” Despite the buzz, Dvalishvili appears to be completely focused on the task at hand.

He understands’ Suga’ and his crew have certainly researched every second of their first bout. Indeed,he anticipates a more tactically sound and improved opponent this time around. “I’m waiting, and I’m accepting the best version of Sean O’Malley,” he said. “We may see Sean defend my takedowns. We may see striking. I’m ready for that.” And as for the toe? Merab Dvalishvili dismissed it as irrelevant. As he suggested that he will enter the Octagon at full throttle. But what do you think? Will the broken toe cause an issue? Let us know in the comments.