O’Malley Prepares for Bantamweight Rematch Against Dvalishvili

Newark, New Jersey — Sean O'Malley is ready to reclaim his bantamweight title against Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 316 on Saturday. Their first encounter at UFC 306 last September ended with Dvalishvili dethroning O’Malley, who entered the match as champion.

In their previous bout, Dvalishvili dominated with his wrestling skills. O’Malley later revealed he had entered the fight with a significant hip injury, which hampered his training. “Physically it was completely different,” said O’Malley. “I was able to prepare the proper way for a guy like Merab,” he added. His preparations this time included extended grappling workouts.

O’Malley, who has scaled back on social media and paused his use of marijuana, believes these changes have affected his mental state positively. “Just being off my phone makes me feel like I have a lot less stress,” he explained. “It’s just another fight for me.”

Dvalishvili comes into the match on a 12-fight winning streak, proudly defending his title once since defeating O’Malley. O’Malley acknowledges the challenge. “It’s a scary proposition,” he admitted. Nevertheless, he feels less pressure heading into the rematch. “I think he’s supposed to beat me,” O’Malley stated, citing Dvalishvili’s championship status.

O’Malley envisions a two-time championship victory as a significant moment, describing the matchup as a “full circle.” He expressed excitement about fighting in the same location where he once celebrated with Aljamain Sterling and experienced the unforgettable journey of the bantamweight division.

While O’Malley wants to right the wrongs of their last fight, he remains grounded. “At the end of the day, I wasn’t too disappointed in my performance,” he remarked. O’Malley aims to make a statement on Saturday night at Prudential Center as he counts down the hours to the rematch.