UFC 306 at ‘The Sphere’ had everything: the grandeur of a reportedly $20 million production, a high-stakes title fight, and a trademark, relentless performance from Merab Dvalishvili. ‘The Machine’ steamrolled Sean O’Malley for five punishing rounds, walking out of Las Vegas with the bantamweight title. But beneath the triumph, there was a moment that nearly changed everything, and it had nothing to do with O’Malley.

Now, the two are set to run it back at UFC 316, this time with ‘Suga’ coming into the fight as the challenger. And in a recent conversation with Daniel Cormier, Dvalishvili pulled back the curtain on how referee Herb Dean almost landed him in hot water in one particular moment of the fight!

Merab Dvalishvili confesses that Herb Dean “told me to move” against Sean O’Malley

Speaking to the former ‘champ-champ’ on an episode of his YouTube Check In show, Merab Dvalishvili was asked, “Did he crack you in the fifth round?” The champion’s response? Dvalishvili confessed, “Not crack, I’m not going to say crack me but he let me feel his, like first time, I felt his body kick and then, if he landed me like two more clean like this then maybe can be problem, you know.”

Let’s pause for a second. In their first clash, Dvalishvili mauled O’Malley for most of the bout, slammed him to the canvas repeatedly, and weathered late-round adversity. Yet even in victory, he couldn’t ignore what might have been.

He further revealed, “That’s why like when he got me with the body kick, I’m like f—–. I was just two minutes earlier, I was holding him down, but because of the referee told me move, do something, I let him get up. I should not let him go.”

According to reports at the time, the veteran referee Herb Dean had told Merab Dvalishvili to “do something” while he was holding down O’Malley. That, according to Dvalishvili, was the spark that almost lit a fire he couldn’t put out.

Cormier, ever the retired fighter-turned-mentor, chimed in with, “You can’t listen to the referee Merab!” But the Georgian champion simply asked, “Yeah, I know how you not going to listen to referee?” It was a rare moment of vulnerability from the man known for his iron motor. However, that questionable moment had sparked debate far beyond the Octagon.

Herb Dean then responded in his appearance on the JAXXON Podcast, where he took issue with the broadcasting team who had been critical of his officiating of the bout. According to Dean, “They’re saying that I shouldn’t be telling the guys to work, this is something I’ve always done. Our sport, there’s rules that are there for safety. There’s rules that are there for fairness, we have rules that are there to build our sport. To make our sport what it’s supposed to be.”

But to a fighter like Merab Dvalishvili, mid-fight commands from authority figures can blur the line between tactical dominance and costly hesitation. The irony? Dvalishvili still won. The judges handed him the fight (49-46, 48-47, 48-47), and the title followed.

Yet, his recent remarks indicate that even the most dominant performances are haunted by split-second decisions and external intervention. But what happens when ‘The Machine’ decides to start destroying?

Dvalishvili wants to silence the critics with a highlight reel finish at UFC 316

Ahead of his rematch with Sean O’Malley at UFC 316, Merab Dvalishvili has promised a version of himself that isn’t here for laughs—he’s here for blood. The playful antics that stole headlines at ‘The Sphere’? They’re on the chopping block.

During a recent media day interview, the champion stated, “I this time I’ll be more focused on the finish and more focused on damage. The first fight it was too easy, and I was too relaxed. I saw everything and controlled everything.”

It’s a bold shift in tone for the UFC’s reigning bantamweight champ. In their first fight, he even found time to clown around mid-fight. Mocking O’Malley’s team, planting a kiss on his opponent’s back, and strolling away with four seconds left in a round. But now, the stakes feel different.

He continued, “I’m ready for a hard fight. I’m expecting the best Sean O’Malley in the best shape ever. Like I said before, I’m looking for a finish, but if I have to beat the s– out of him for five rounds, I’m ready to do that, too.”

And it’s not just talk. While Merab Dvalishvili has earned 12 wins in the UFC, only one has ended before the judges got involved. That lone finish came in 2021 against Marlon Moraes. Since then, it’s been decision after decision. A grind-it-out style that’s effective but rarely electrifying. So now, he wants to flip the script.

In the end, from referee commands that nearly backfired to antics that blurred the line between dominance and distraction, Dvalishvili has seen both the glory and the chaos that comes with championship gold. But this time, he’s dialing down the drama and turning up the violence. So, what do you think? Will ‘The Machine’s promise to trade entertainment for execution pay off? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!