Since then, O’Malley has launched a full-fledged campaign, urging the UFC to organize a rematch against ‘The Machine’, with former fighter-turned-analyst Chael Sonnen openly supporting him. Now, after all the noise, it seems ‘Suga’ may get his wish—not from UFC president Dana White, but from Dvalishvili himself. This development could pose a setback for Team Khabib’s Umar Nurmagomedov, who currently has his sights set on the division’s king.

Merab Dvalishvili shows a green flag to Sean O’Malley’s request

Newly crowned bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili is determined to silence his critics and prove his worthiness of the title. Following Chael Sonnen’s cold remark on his win—“There’s controversy; go see rounds 1, 3, and 5. Watch that without commentary and come back and tell me you don’t see controversy”—Dvalishvili vowed to never give his opponents an easy path.

Tired of the ongoing discussions, he finally put the matter to rest by accepting Sean O’Malley‘s request for a rematch. In a recent post on X, he stated, “I hear O’Malley thinks he won the fight and is looking for a rematch. If he wants it, he can have it. Let’s do it November 16th at the Garden, and then I’ll still defend the title against whoever the UFC wants me to fight next. What do you think?” This bold move from Merab Dvalishvili definitely passes the ball into the UFC’s court, making it intriguing to see how they will react.

It leaves fans scratching their heads, raising questions in their minds: Are they ready for the bantamweight rematch, or will they choose to set ‘The Machine’ against rising sensation Umar Nurmagomedov? Regardless, Dvalishvili has once again thrown cold water on Nurmagomedov’s dreams of dominating the division. Just a few weeks ago, at UFC’s Abu Dhabi event, Nurmagomedov shook up the division by taking down Cory Sandhagen.

Now, it will be interesting to see how Nurmagomedov or Team Khabib reacts to this situation. Team Khabib and Merab Dvalishvili have recently been engaged in a social media war, during which ‘The Machine’ appeared keen to declare Dagestani natives as “non-Russian.”

Merab Dvalishvili’s geography corrected by Islam Makhachev

Following his victory over Sean O’Malley at UFC 306, Merab Dvalishvili ignited an already brewing rivalry, not just with Umar Nurmagomedov but also extending its flame to Team Khabib, which includes Khabib, Umar, Usman, Islam Makhachev, and countless other Dagestani fighters during the post-fight press conference.’The Machine’ satirically questioned the status of Dagestan, remarking, “Umar is actually not from Russia.”

This controversy exploded when it reached the ears of Makhachev, who shut Dvalishvili down by questioning his IQ, stating, “Merab lives in America; he has no clue what he’s talking about. Dagestan is a part of Russia.” Makhachev further labeled ‘The Machine’s’ comments as part of his mental game aimed at Umar Nurmagomedov, suggesting that Dvalishvili was trying to distract from their potential fight.

What are your thoughts on Merab Dvalishvili vs. Sean O’Malley 2.0? Do you think it’s the fight fans want, or should Umar Nurmagomedov deserve the title? Drop your opinion below.