Merab Dvalishvili is bracing for yet another title fight. After winning the bantamweight championship, he has been a dominant champion. Facing off against the likes of Umar Nurmagomedov, Dvalishvili impressed significantly with his cardio and came back to retain. Going into his second title defense, Dvalishvili will be up against a familiar foe. And it is none other than the former champion, Sean O’Malley. However, he is finding it really hard to keep himself motivated.
In a recent statement, Dvalishvili pointed out that fighting the same opponent twice was a turn-off. The Georgian champion mentioned that with O’Malley, it’s all predictable as to what he will throw at him. And thus, keeping the same amount of energy and motivation becomes a challenge.
“It’s hard to motivate myself because I’m fighting the same guy,” said Dvalishvili.
"It's hard to motivate myself because I'm fighting the same guy." — Merab Dvalishvili on rematch with Sean O'Malley 🥱
— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) May 25, 2025
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Surely, such a statement only goes on to show the amount of confidence Dvalishvili is oozing currently. He also expressed his desire to fight a couple of more times this year if things went his way perfectly. However, with just weeks left for the all important matchup, Dvalishvili’s chances of turning up remain clouded.
Merab Dvalishvili Gets His Toe Broken Ahead Of UFC 316
Merab Dvalishvili doesn’t seem to keep himself injury-free ahead of big fights. Back when he initially fought with O’Malley, the Georgian suffered a cut on his eyebrow. And now, with just weeks to go for his UFC title fight, Dvalishvili had broken his toe. In a recent update, Dvalishvili was seen recording a clip of his broken toe.
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“Why you break my toe, my friend?” said Dvalishvili. His partner replied: “That was you, you kicked me in the head and broke your toe. That was your fault.” Lastly, Dvalishvili responded with a laugh, “I’m going to cut it off. This guy broke it.”
Thus, with clouds of uncertainty looming large, it remains to be seen what happens next.
Also Read: Fans Have A Field Day As Merab Dvalishvili Outlasts Gorilla In Hilarious Skit
