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3 tactics Sean O’Malley must use to beat Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 316

For "Suga" to regain the bantamweight strap, here are his keys to a win

Zain Bando

Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

UFC 316 commences Saturday night in Newark, New Jersey, with Merab Dvalishvili rematching Sean O’Malley for Dvalishvili’s UFC Bantamweight Championship in the night’s main event.

Sean O'Malley Addresses Fame

O'Malley aims to win his belt bac
Oct 22, 2022; Abu Dhabi, UAE; Sean O'Malley (blue gloves) defeats Petr Yan (red gloveS) during UFC 280 at Etihad Arena. Mandatory Credit: Craig Kidwell-Imagn Images / Craig Kidwell-Imagn Images

O’Malley (18-2 MMA) candidly spoke about how grateful he is for his MMA career during Wednesday’s media day and isn’t taking any fight for granted.

“I still make, I don't know exactly, but probably about the same amount of money outside the UFC as I do inside the UFC right now," O'Malley said.  

O’Malley said that even though he is financially stable, he wants to continue building his legacy, which could potentially allow him to reclaim his title.

“It was very mutual. I've done a lot for the UFC, but they don't need me,” O’Malley said. “At this point, I could probably be done fighting, live fine, whatever, so I don't want to say I need the UFC. But for me to get to where I want to go, I need the UFC."

With all that in mind, here are three things O’Malley must avoid to exact revenge on Dvalishvili (19-4 MMA) during fight night.

READ MORE: One sleeper fight that could steal the show at UFC 316

Dvalishvili Controlled O'Malley For 25 Minutes

Dvalishvili beat O'Malley in their first figh
Sep 14, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Sean OíMalley of the United States (red gloves) fights Merab Dvalishvili of Georgia (blue gloves) during Riyadh Season Noche UFC 306 at The Sphere. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images / Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

1. Stop Dvalishvili’s takedowns

This one seems rather obvious. O’Malley was unable to deal with Dvalishvili’s wrestling the entire fight, and it cost him horrendously. If O’Malley can stuff shots, the fight is going to play out slightly differently.

2. Control the center of the Octagon 

When O’Malley keeps his distance, he’s tough to beat. Staying in boxing range will be key to getting the job done, as he may need to bring back the magic that led to wins against Aljamain Sterling and Marlon Vera, among others.

3. Limit the verbal exchanges

In the last fight, it was clear O’Malley got frustrated with Dvalishvili’s antics, and it came back to bite him. If he blocks out distractions, it should be more manageable once he finally reaches the Octagon.

If he does these three things, an upset and the possibility of becoming a two-division champion is very much on the table.

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Zain Bando
ZAIN BANDO

Zain Bando is a writer for MMA Knockout, part of the Sports Illustrated/Minute Media umbrella. He has covered combat sports since 2019 for notable outlets BJPenn.com and FanSided MMA. He also co-hosts a podcast called "The MMA Outsiders," part of the Empty The Bench Podcast Network, which airs Tuesday nights at 7:00 p.m. ET/4:00 p.m. PT. A Chicago suburban native, Bando has been enthralled with MMA since 2006 and has been fortunate to attend some of the most high-profile events in the sport's history, both as a fan and media member, including UFC 264, Bellator 297 and Kayla Harrison's PFL MMA debut. He is excited to take the next step in his combat sports writing journey and looks forward to continuing his following of the fight game for years to come. Bando can be reached via email at zainbando99@gmail.com or by social media @zainbando99

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