“He looked flat. He didn’t look sharp. And he didn’t look crisp until the last round.” This is what Dana White had to say at the UFC 306 presser regarding Sean O’Malley as he got pummeled in the 135lbs title headliner against Merab Dvalishvili. And rightly so! The iconic ‘Sphere’ in Las Vegas was set to be another jewel in the crown of the man who was pushed to be the next Conor McGregor. However, everything came crashing down as his 18-month reign was decimated by the Georgian’s relentless grappling. Combine that with his signature showboating and a humiliating barrage of kisses on the back and you get a perfect recipe for disaster!

However, ‘Suga’ has the chance to change it all! To avenge his biggest loss and regain the bantamweight crown yet again. For the unversed, the second coming of O’Malley and Dvalishvili is set to headline UFC 316 in June. Many in the fight community have questioned the legitimacy of this immediate title shot owing to the Montana native’s long layoff owing to an injury and the decimation that unfolded in the duo’s first outing. But with White making it official, the clash is on!

Since the announcement of the rematch, fans and veterans of the sport have been buzzing with speculation about the outcome of their second encounter. UFC Hall of Famer and former 185lbs kingpin Michael Bisping has shared his thoughts, offering a perspective that goes against the grain of the MMA community.

Speaking about UFC 316 on his YouTube channel, Bisping highlighted a key moment from their first fight, saying: “Suga Sean O’Malley is gonna have to show up in this one. Yes, of course, he showed up in the first fight but Merab’s style was just too much! But think about it like this, this is favoring Merab Dvalishvili. I’m not saying that Sean O’Malley can’t come out. I’m not saying that he can’t knock him out and get the belt back. If you speak to Merab, which I have done, he said in that last round Sean O’Malley cracked him and had him hurt. It was very honest of Merab Dvalishvili to say that. That’s going to give Sean a lot of confidence. He’s gonna know! Listen! He’s only a human being. He can be hurt and I have the power to do it!”

‘The Count’ further added, “He also has the skill, the style, the reach, the range, and just the finesse to be able to land those kind of blows and we know Suga Sean O’Malley is a very proud man. He takes his sport very seriously. He is dedicated to his craft so he going to be leaving no stone unturned.”

Both critics and admirers of Sean O’Malley witnessed the same fight. Merab Dvalishvili relentlessly brought him down, suffocating him with pressure round after round. Yet, in the final frame, ‘Suga’ came alive. Out of nowhere, O’Malley unleashed a burst of offense—an undeniable display of heart and skill. Though it came too late to change the outcome, it was enough to earn Dvalishvili’s respect as a worthy rival. And with the rematch on the horizon, O’Malley would like to capitalize on the opportunity as much as he can.

Sean O’Malley weighs in on his upcoming UFC 316 title fight

Sean O’Malley is determined to revive ‘The Suga Show’ in the bantamweight division, but standing in his way is a machine of Georgia—an unstoppable force with the ability to completely shut it down. In this high-stakes rematch, Merab Dvalishvili will settle for nothing less than O’Malley’s best performance yet. To reclaim the title, O’Malley must not only dominate the physical battle but also the mental one. He will need to stay sharp and composed while preventing Dvalishvili from gaining dominant positions. Moreover, the key would be to drain his stamina and break his focus.

Responding to criticism surrounding their rematch, O’Malley spoke candidly on his YouTube channel: “The rematch is official, ‘Suga’ Sean vs Merab 2 is happening, and I don’t think people are gonna be too happy about it. I’m very confident in my skills, last camp, we had some s–t going on, and I don’t want to sit here and make excuses. We had a great camp, we showed up, I was in shape we did what we could. This camp has already been a lot different, and I’m feeling good. So, super excited to be able to go out there and take care of business. I feel like a lot of things I’ve made change-wise in my life are gonna attribute to my performance.”

Moreover, the former champ has removed social media from his lifestyle along with ma—–na use and video games. Despite being the underdog, O’Malley’s striking ability remains unmatched at bantamweight. He has shocked the world on multiple occasions. Who could forget his title-winning knockout of Aljamain Sterling or his masterclass against Marlon Vera? Yet, Dvalishvili stands as the favorite with all the tools to disable O’Malley’s offense. Can the former champ regain his glory? Let us know in the comment section below!