Merab Dvalishvili dismantles Sean O’Malley in Newark rematch

Merab Dvalishvili secured his second consecutive bantamweight title defense by submitting Sean O’Malley in the third round at UFC 316. The 34-year-old champion used a north-south choke to force a tap with 18 seconds remaining in the fight. Dvalishvili landed 135 total strikes during the bout, including 17 ground strikes in the third round alone. He completed 12 takedown attempts, successfully executing 5 of them. O’Malley, who previously held the belt, fell to his first two-fight losing streak after this defeat.

Dvalishvili controlled the pace throughout the three rounds. In the first round, the champion secured two takedowns and maintained top position for nearly half the period. He landed 25 of 54 significant strikes in the opening frame, a 46 percent accuracy rate. The second round saw O’Malley find more success at distance, winning that specific round on one judge’s scorecard. O’Malley landed 7 of 10 significant strikes in the second round, while Dvalishvili landed 11 of 15. The third round belonged to Dvalishvili, who landed 23 of 38 significant strikes. Dvalishvili’s striking accuracy in that final round reached 60 percent.

The champion’s wrestling dominance remains his most effective tool. He has set a record for most takedowns in UFC history with 119 takedowns. This performance follows his victory over Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC 311 in January. Dvalishvili’s coach, John Wood, previously noted that four title fights in a year is a lot for his fighter. Wood also mentioned that weight cuts are more taxing than the fights themselves. Dvalishvili’s winning streak now stands at twelve.

O’Malley struggles with pressure and injuries

O’Malley’s preparation for the rematch involved significant changes. He incorporated the training system of Jiri Prochazka, which uses unpredictable angles and movement. The 30-year-old striker also changed his lifestyle by giving up his signature colorful hair and cannabis. Despite these adjustments, he could not stop the grappling pressure. O’Malley lands 6.05 significant strikes per minute with 60 percent accuracy. In this fight, his output lagged behind Dvalishvili’s volume.

The challenger also dealt with physical setbacks. O’Malley underwent surgery for a shoulder injury before this camp. He previously discussed a rib injury from a fight against Raulian Paiva where he could not perform the simplest grappling. O’Malley’s professional record now sits at 18-3. He has not fought since he lost the title to Dvalishvili in September.

The grappling disparity defines the matchup. Dvalishvili holds a 76 percent takedown defense rate across 16 fights. O’Malley’s ability to stay upright improved compared to their first meeting, but he still conceded five takedowns in this encounter. He struggled to maintain distance against the relentless movement of the champion. Can O’Malley find a way to neutralize the wrestling in a third fight?

Division shifts and rule enforcement

The UFC 316 event in Newark also featured Julianna Pena defending her women’s bantamweight title against Kayla Harrison. Harrison, a two-time Olympic gold medalist in judo, won the title via a second-round kimura. Pena’s takedown defense rate sits at 23 percent. Harrison landed 2.75 takedowns per 15 minutes during her UFC tenure. This victory makes Harrison the second athlete to win both Olympic gold and a UFC championship.

The promotion continues to see high activity in the lower weight classes. Dvalishvili expressed interest in a fight against Cory Sandhagen. Sandhagen watched the main event from cageside at the Prudential Center. The bantamweight division also includes fighters like Marlon Vera and Mario Bautista. Bautista recently defeated Patchy Mix via unanimous decision, extending his winning streak to eight. Bautista landed 173 significant strikes in that contest, setting a new personal record.

The UFC 316 card also included Joe Pyfer, who won a decision against Kelvin Gastelum. Pyfer dropped Gastelum in both the first and final minutes of the opening round. Gastelum, a durable striker, grew stronger as the fight progressed. In the welterweight division, Kevin Holland defeated Vicente Luque using an anaconda choke in the second round. Luque has now alternated wins and losses in his last four appearances.