After losing his bantamweight title to Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 306, Sean O’Malley made another attempt to reclaim it at UFC 316 but came up short once again. Dvalishvili secured a dominant win by submission, further solidifying his reign in the division. Following O’Malley’s recent defeat, one of his podcast co-hosts suggested that he should take on Umar Nurmagomedov next.
Both the former bantamweight champion and Umar Nurmagomedov have missed their opportunities to capture the bantamweight title from Merab Dvalishvili. Since his loss to ‘The Machine,’ the Dagestani fighter has been sidelined due to a hand injury. However, with Umar eyeing a return and O’Malley having just competed, a potential clash between the two could be on the horizon.
During a podcast appearance on O’Malley’s YouTube channel with Tim Welch and their co-host, the co-host remarked, “I think Umar’s a perfect matchup. You’ve improved enough to handle his grappling. And I think you would knock Umar out.”
Speaking about the potential fight, O’Malley acknowledged that Umar is a tough opponent. He pointed out that elite fighters fill the bantamweight division’s top 10, and every matchup brings a tough, high-level challenge.
Merab Dvalishvili Could Soon Do What Even Jon Jones And Islam Makhachev Haven’t
Dvalishvili’s dominance in the bantamweight division is turning heads across the MMA world. After submitting Sean O’Malley at UFC 316, fans and former champions alike are calling him the next potential GOAT. Legends like Kamaru Usman and Henry Cejudo believe Merab could achieve something even Jon Jones and Islam Makhachev haven’t—clearing out an entire division. Speaking on the Pound4Pound podcast, they stated:
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“Jones hasn’t gone through everybody in the heavyweight division, Islam hasn’t gone through everybody in the lightweight division, but Merab is about to go through everybody in the division and there’s no denying it.”
Both former champions believe that if Merab Dvalishvili defeats Cory Sandhagen, he not only deserves the No. 1 pound-for-pound spot but also the 2025 Fighter of the Year title. Currently ranked No. 2, just behind Islam Makhachev, Dvalishvili’s upcoming bout could solidify his legacy and elevate him to the top of the UFC rankings.
Also Read: UFC 316 Purse: How Much Money Did Merab Dvalishvili Earn Defeating Sean O’Malley?
