A highly anticipated bantamweight championship rematch is set to take place at UFC 316 on Saturday, live from the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. The event features champion Merab Dvalishvili defending his title against the man he took it from, Sean O’Malley.
Champion Merab Dvalishvili currently holds the No. 4 spot in the UFC`s official Pound-for-Pound rankings. His challenger, Sean O’Malley, is ranked No. 19 in the same list.
Dvalishvili (19-4) is making his second defense of the bantamweight strap. His most recent victory was a successful title defense against the previously undefeated Umar Nurmagomedov in January. “The Machine” originally claimed the championship by defeating O’Malley via unanimous decision at UFC 306. Riding an impressive 12-fight win streak, the dominant Georgian competitor looks to extend his run to 13 consecutive wins and further solidify his legacy as an all-time great with another strong performance against his familiar foe.
For Sean O’Malley (18-2, 1 NC), this fight represents a crucial opportunity for redemption and potentially his last immediate chance at the bantamweight title. “Suga” has been out of action for the nine months following his first meeting with Dvalishvili, using the time to recover from hip surgery and implement significant personal changes, including ceasing marijuana use. Prior to encountering Dvalishvili, O’Malley had won nine of his first eleven fights within the UFC. Now, he gets a second chance to overcome the man who currently seems to be his greatest obstacle.
