When Merab Dvalishvili and Sean O’Malley first clashed at UFC 306, their bout was surrounded by trash talk and a display of superiority. Dvalishvili, known as ‘The Machine’, through his relentless wrestling, secured a unanimous decision victory in the fight and claimed the UFC bantamweight title. Now, as both prepare for a rematch at UFC 316, the narrative has evolved into one of growth and resilience. 

‘Suga Show’, reflecting on his previous performance, attributed his loss to a torn labrum sustained ten weeks before the fight. O’Malley revealed, “I tore my labrum ten weeks before the fight… It wasn’t ideal.” This was discussed by the legendary UFC commentator Joe Rogan, on his JRE podcast, who said, “You know, ‘Suga’ Sean O’Malley could have had it if he beat Merab, you know. But that was a nightmare match-up and he had a f…d up hip going into that fight.”

Now, however, Sean O’Malley has vowed to return as a significantly improved fighter at UFC 316, stating, “I’m going to be 70 percent better than I was in that first fight.” And Dvalishvili, being the competitor that he is, welcomes this challenge. As ‘The Machine’ sat down with ESPN MMA, he was asked by the UFC veteran Anthony Smith how he feels about O’Malley’s shift from an unconventional, careless fighter to a focused and determined professional. To which, the Georgian responded with a very calm tone. 

Merab Dvalishvili said, ” Yeah, like I’m excited for this rematch. Just for the fight, you know? I want to try to finish him. I want to try striking, you know? I want to try different things. And I know Sean will change his plan. Like he’s saying also, he’s going to be 70% better version, and I want to see this,” he expressed. Acknowledging O’Malley’s anticipated improvements. 

He further said, “I want to test this. And I’m more excited for this. And of course, you know, thank God UFC is a big organization. Every time we fight, we make good money, and I’m good with money. But I’m more excited for the fight.” Their previous encounter was marked by Dvalishvili’s dominant ground game and even a kiss on O’Malley’s back, accumulating over ten minutes of control time and neutralizing O’Malley’s striking prowess.

However, Dvalishvili anticipates a different dynamic in their rematch. O’Malley’s failure just at the brink of his mainstream breakthrough was painful enough, but he also had to deal with the humiliation of the fight. This time, he wants to be prepared for anything; he is even training with Demetrious Johnson. The question is, will he be able to take his revenge? Or will he succumb to a similar domination as the previous fight?

Yet, O’Malley isn’t the only one changing his whole fighting game. As Sean is preparing to counter Merab’s takedowns and intensity, Dvalishvili is preparing to expand his arsenal of weapons, too. This time, ‘The Machine’ wants to beat O’Malley at his own game.

Merab Dvalishvili brings a strategic shift to his game as he embraces striking

In their first encounter at UFC 306, Dvalishvili dominated O’Malley with his grappling prowess. This time, however, he aims to showcase a different aspect of his skill set. Merab Dvalishvili’s strength has been his relentless wrestling, it has earned him the nickname ‘The Machine.’ And as he prepares for his rematch against Sean O’Malley at UFC 316, Dvalishvili is signaling a significant shift in his approach.

This strategic shift is not just about surprising his opponent but also about personal growth. Dvalishvili expressed his desire to prove that he’s more than just a wrestler. ‘The Machine’ revealed, “This is my dream fight, and this is the perfect time to fight him. Now I’m gonna show everybody my striking. I have a recipe [to beat him], but now I wanna prove my striking, and I wanna go punch him in the face because he thinks I’m gonna wrestle. No, I’m gonna punch.

And while some fans have expressed concern over the change in strategy, fearing it might play into O’Malley’s strengths, Dvalishvili remains confident. He believes that his already relentless pace with improved striking can pose a significant challenge to O’Malley. He once stated, “I’m a mixed martial artist, and I have no problem to fight wherever the fight goes. I always try to get better – boxing, kickboxing, and wrestling. That’s why I’m winning and winning because I’m always getting better.”

Will he be able to shock the world and KO O’Malley? Or will O’Malley neutralize the wrestling of ‘The Machine’ and shock the world instead? Their last encounter was a one-sided affair. But for this bout, Sean O’Malley and Merab Dvalishvili are honing their skills to absolute perfection. Will this encounter be the same as the last time? Dvalishvili will do his best to make it that way. What do you think? Let us know in the comments.