UFC 316 is this weekend, and Merab Dvalishvili and Sean O’Malley are set for their highly anticipated rematch. In their first clash at UFC 306, ‘The Machine’ claimed the bantamweight title after outgrappling ‘Suga,’ landing 6 of 14 takedowns. While the former champ showed flashes of solid defense, the Georgian’s relentless pressure shut down his offense. Many fans expected more from the former champ, and after the loss, questions quickly surfaced—why couldn’t O’Malley wrestle when it mattered most?
It turns out Sean O’Malley’s previous hip surgery may have limited his ability to wrestle. Joe Rogan brought this up on episode #2325 of his podcast with Aaron Rodgers, saying, “Sean could not wrestle. Imagine not being able to wrestle in camp, and you got to go face Merab.” While O’Malley now claims to be “70%” better this time around, Merab Dvalishvili’s coach believes it still won’t be enough in the rematch.
Merab Dvalishvili’s coach John Wood gives an honest take on Sean O’Malley rematch
Sean O’Malley and his team haven’t mentioned any injuries going into the rematch, so expectations for him to grapple and scramble are much higher this time. However, Merab Dvalishvili’s coach, John Wood, doesn’t think that’ll make much of a difference. According to him, ‘The Machine’ has also leveled up during this camp and is ready for every threat coming his way.
Wood told Home of Fight, “I mean, it’s great. O’Malley is a tough dude. Tim’s a good coach, and I’m sure he’s going to be ready for everything that happened before in the first fight. Supposedly, there were injuries. I think everybody goes into the fight injured. I don’t think that’s gonna play an effect into what happens here. It’s just a matter of can they make the change that they needed to change to win this time. I don’t think that’s gonna happen, I think O’Malley might have gotten better, but Merab has gotten better too!”
via Imago
Well, the reigning bantamweight champ proved at UFC 311 against Umar Nurmagomedov that he’s taken things up a notch. Merab looked sharp from distance and stayed true to his relentless grappling pressure. Meanwhile, fans are still waiting to see what a better version of Sean O’Malley looks like, as he hasn’t fought since dropping the belt at UFC 306. John Wood also weighed in on how ‘Suga’ could win, highlighting his striking as the primary threat.
John Wood believes Sean O’Malley catching Dvalishvili would be the way to victory
Sean O’Malley is, first and foremost, a striker—and a master of his craft. He showed that with precision, landing a clean right hand to stop Aljamain Sterling at UFC 292, and later putting on a striking clinic against Marlon Vera at UFC 299. While it’s true he’s had trouble against strong wrestlers like Merab, O’Malley still carries fight-ending power that can flip the script in an instant. One clean shot is all he needs.
John Wood, while giving the edge to Merab Dvalishvili, openly acknowledged that Sean O’Malley’s knockout power remains a serious threat. Continuing the interview with Home of Fight, Wood said, “I think the only way this fight goes down, if he catches him with a punch and knocks him out. And I’ve yet to see anybody do that to Merab, and I don’t think that’s gonna happen in this fight.” He added that while the rematch may be tougher in some areas, Team Merab has already made the necessary adjustments.”
That’s definitely true! If O’Malley manages to land that right hand with his usual power, it could spell trouble for the champ. But let’s not forget, Merab has never been knocked out in his career. He took ‘Suga’s best shots last time and kept pushing forward. With both fighters making noticeable improvements, there’s a real chance this rematch plays out very differently. Maybe even on the feet, unlike their first clash.
That being said, with UFC 316 going down this weekend, it’s hard not to wonder what kind of fight we’re in for. Will O’Malley and Merab go all-in on a stand-and-bang showdown? Will it turn into a wrestling-heavy grind like last time? What do you think? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!
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