Sean O’Malley is set to rematch Merab Dvalishvili for the UFC bantamweight title at UFC 316, with his coach Augusto Mendes confident in O’Malley’s improved maturity, injury-free status, and readiness after a rigorous camp, aiming to showcase a stronger version of himself and end Dvalishvili’s long winning streak.
Sean O’Malley is set to rematch Merab Dvalishvili for the UFC bantamweight title at UFC 316. His jiu-jitsu coach, Augusto Mendes, believes a mature, injury-free “Suga” will succeed this time.
O’Malley previously lost a decision to Dvalishvili in September 2024, marking only his second career defeat. He’s been vocal about the challenges he faced before UFC 306. Now, after a grueling 12-week camp, Mendes feels O’Malley is ready.
A hip injury hindered O’Malley from playing guard in camp. He only agreed to UFC 306 to headline at The Sphere in Vegas. Despite past injuries, including before his knockout win over Aljamain Sterling, Mendes claims they were worse than those before UFC 306.
This time, O’Malley brings his full arsenal for five championship rounds. With lifestyle changes like quitting weed and social media, and welcoming his son, he’s a new man.
“He’s more mature now,” Mendes told MMA Fighting. “At 30, he’s enjoyed his 20s, maybe more than us, thanks to his status [laughs]. It’s his evolution.”
“We think Merab hasn’t seen the best ‘Suga’ yet,” Mendes continued. “Merab might be surprised by O’Malley’s new movement, power, and jiu-jitsu. ‘Damn, it’s not like I thought it would be.’ We’re confident he’ll see the best Sean now.”
Dvalishvili hasn’t lost in over seven years. A win puts him just behind legends like Anderson Silva and Kamaru Usman with a 13-fight streak. Mendes called him “hittable” in their first clash and believes the streak ends Saturday.
“O’Malley can win in any area,” Mendes said. “He’s ready for 25 minutes of war. Merab is hittable. His fight approach was different against Sean, punching the air and shooting in range.”
“I think he’ll taunt from the outside, but Sean can win anywhere. I’m confident in a knockout. Maybe surprises on the ground. Merab’s tough to tap, but we’ve got tricks if he gets a good position.”