Sean O’Malley made huge mistake in Merab Dvalishvili rematch, says top UFC contender

Did Sean O’Malley make a crucial error before he was ultimately submitted by Merab Dvalishvili?

O’Malley challenged Dvalishvili for the UFC Bantamweight Championship on Saturday. Dvalishvili had defeated “Suga” to capture the 135-pound gold back in Sept. 2024. While the first encounter ended via unanimous decision, Dvalishvili was able to secure his first finish since 2021. It was also “The Machine’s” first submission win since 2017.

In the aftermath of UFC 316, one top-ranked bantamweight believes O’Malley’s strategy may have set him up for failure.

RELATED: MERAB DVALISHVILI REVEALS KEY NAME WHO HELPED HIM DEFEAT SEAN O’MALLEY AGAIN AT UFC 316

Did Sean O’Malley’s Movement Cost Him?

During an interview with ESPN following UFC 316, Cory Sandhagen shared his belief that Sean O’Malley was trying to match the pace of Merab Dvalishvili. Ultimately, he feels that may have come back to haunt the “Suga” show (via MMAJunkie).

“I was kind of surprised that O’Malley decided to move as much as he was,” Sandhagen said. “That’s a very tough thing to do against a guy that’s going to press like that. When Merab decides to get aggressive, he gets aggressive, and I’m looking forward to that. Merab is the best guy in the division. He’s maybe one of the best guys in the UFC, and I want to take that guy out.”

Sandhagen seems to be in prime position to challenge Dvalishvili for the UFC Bantamweight Championship next. Following Dvalishvili’s submission win over O’Malley, the UFC cameras panned to Sandhagen’s reaction. Dvalishvili and Sandhagen showed mutual respect, and “The Machine” told Joe Rogan that the No. 4-ranked bantamweight deserves the next title opportunity.

As for O’Malley, he will need to go back to the drawing board. There are a slew of intriguing matchups for “Suga,” as the former UFC bantamweight titleholder made it clear ahead of UFC 316 that he hopes to keep fighting for as long as his body holds up.