Merab Dvalishvili is gearing up to defend his bantamweight title at UFC 316, a highly anticipated event in the world of mixed martial arts. Known as ‘The Machine,’ Dvalishvili earned his 135lb belt by outwrestling Sean O’Malley at UFC 306 last September. Since that victory, he has further solidified his legacy by defeating Umar Nurmagomedov, establishing himself as one of the all-time greats in the bantamweight division.
This Saturday night, Dvalishvili will seek to extend his remarkable Octagon run when he faces O'Malley in a rematch at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. The fight has fans buzzing with excitement as both fighters bring unique skill sets to the octagon.
Terrion Ware, a fighter who has faced both headliners at UFC 316, offers valuable insights into the upcoming bout. During his own challenging stint in the UFC, Ware suffered a unanimous decision defeat to O’Malley in December 2017 but managed to win a round against the now-bantamweight champion. Subsequently, he faced Dvalishvili, losing decisively after 15 minutes of combat, with judges awarding Dvalishvili a rare 30-25 scorecard.
Having spent a total of 30 minutes in the Octagon with both fighters, Ware is uniquely positioned to make predictions about the rematch. “MMA is really, really hard to predict,” he stated in an interview with talkSPORT.com.
Ware continued, “A lot of times you can kind of go off history. History has shown that when you have the striker versus the grappler, and the grappler is able to do what Merab did in the first fight… I don’t think enough time has passed for O’Malley to completely shut down his wrestling game.”
Despite acknowledging O'Malley's potential improvements, Ware predicts that Dvalishvili will emerge victorious again, stating, “I think O’Malley will definitely do better… but I got it 48-47, Merab winning by decision, just basically going out there and trying to grind him on the cage and taking him down.”
On Thursday, the stars of UFC 316 came together for a press conference hosted by commentator Jon Anik. The event had its dull moments but was momentarily ignited by O'Malley’s trash talk. “I truly believe I’m going to knock Merab out,” he proclaimed confidently. “Come Sunday, no one is going to give a f— about Merab, and that’s just how it is.”
O'Malley’s comments did not sit well with Dvalishvili, who accused his opponent of feigning humility ahead of their rematch. “Keep talking and you’re going to get more humble. I’m making people humble!” Dvalishvili responded, adding, “You’ll see June 7. Yeah, you were playing all of this time like a humble guy; okay, I’ll show you again.”
As UFC 316 approaches, the excitement surrounding the rematch between Merab Dvalishvili and Sean O'Malley continues to grow. With both fighters bringing their unique styles and a history of rivalry into the Octagon, fans can expect an electrifying showdown that could redefine the bantamweight landscape.
