Morning Report | Merab Dvalishvili defends Sean O’Malley rematch: ‘It’s going to be a totally different fight’

Merab Dvalishvili and Sean O’Malley | Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC Merab Dvalishvili took everything Sean O’Malley worked for.Last September, Dvalishvili finally won the UFC bantamweight title, taking it with a unanimous decision win over O’Malley in the main event of UFC 306. The bout had a heated build-up, but now the two are set to run things back as the main event of UFC 316 on June 7 in Newark, NJ, and things are much friendlier this time around.

Perhaps that’s because Dvalishvili feels bad for “Suga.”“He’s funny, he’s cute, and he’s good fighter too,” Dvalishvili told Ariel Helwani. ”I have only have positive feelings [about O’Malley], other than he was talking stupid about my friend Aljamain Sterling.



“I feel bad, actually, for this guy. I stole his jacket, I stole his belt, I stole his fans. I made him humble.

He’s different guy now. Good for him, and good for me too, how everything happened. Life is good, camp is good.

I’m grateful for everything.”Things weren’t always so cordial between the two fighters. In the lead-up to UFC 306, both Dvalishvili and O’Malley released multiple videos mocking one another and their teams.

Even after Dvalishvili won the fight, the two continued to take shots at one another, with O’Malley even claiming he was robbed on the scorecards. However, since their rematch was announced, O’Malley has been much more respectful of Dvalishvili, crediting him as a good fighter. It’s a strange change for the champion.

“It was weird because they were talking so nice to me,” Dvalishvili said. “Of course, everybody likes compliments, but it was weird feeling. I feel like a friend with them.

Even Tim [Welch, O’Malley’s coach], the guy I don’t like, when he was talking nice, my heart warmed a little bit. Like, no, no, don’t do this, guys. I need to be mad about you.

That was a weird feeling.“I don’t hate Sean O’Malley, I just want to fight with him. Tim, he did make big mistakes.

He should be professional coach, but he’s not a professional coach. He tried to cheat. He’s a cheater coach.

He tried disrespect [me], and that’s why I was talking trash. That’s what happened.“I’m a professional fighter, and I made this mistake only one time when I had my debut in UFC.

I looked at my opponent, and I was like, ‘I don’t want to punch you.’ After I get some controversial loss like this, I learned. I don’t think I’m going to make mistakes, even if I like my opponent.

I will be professional, and I’ll be same guy, and I’ll fight hard.”But not everyone is happy about the fight. Fans responded poorly to O’Malley getting an immediate rematch against Dvalishvili, given how one-sided the first encounter was, but Dvalishvili insists this is the matchup he wants.

“O’Malley, he hits hard. Even when he just touched me a little bit, I felt his power,” Dvalishvili said. “The guy can crack.

So I have to be smart and I have to be patient in this fight. I’m sure he will make adjustments and defend the takedowns better, then he will be going forward this time. It’s going to be a totally different fight.

Rematches don’t always go like the first fight. It’s going to be different.“I’m happy.

I think a lot of people criticized O’Malley getting a rematch. I think he deserves it, and I want to find out, too. He made lots of excuses after the fight, and now he did surgery, and I know he will make adjustments and he will change game plans.

It’s going to be a totally different fight, but if not, like O’Malley say, ‘If you don’t like it, don’t watch it.’”But if you don’t tune in to watch, you just might miss something special because though he only has one stoppage win in his entire UFC career, Dvalishvili is planning on making that two come June.“I want to show my striking skills, too,” Dvalishvili said.

“My goal will be to stop him, TKO him or knockout. It’s going to be a great fight, and I’m excited for it.”TOP STORIESBeautiful.

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twitter.com/f5hDbIDaw8— Dan Ige (@Dynamitedan808) April 8, 2025Gamrot is trying so hard and no one will fight him.Stop looking for easy fights, especially with a clown.

Without ambition you will never be a champion, you got a chance to get revenge so accept it https://t.co/Z2I6TAcY3V— Mateusz Gamrot (@gamer_mma) April 8, 2025Unclear if this is retirement of just leaving the UFC.It was fun fighting at the highest level.

I never even dared to dream that I will get there, But I ended up spending my last 6 years fighting for the best promotion in the world. It was a fun journey and I loved it. Now it’s time for me to start a new chapter.

pic.twitter.com/bqclvnAoYq— Diana Belbiță (@DianaBelbita) April 8, 2025Training.

Everything Matters #Pressure pic.twitter.com/C5USmeDqM0— KAMARU USMAN (@USMAN84kg) April 8, 2025Patiently waiting for my next opponent.

145 title is in sight! pic.twitter.com/1ZyO0KyvCM— Aljamain Sterling (@funkmasterMMA) April 9, 2025More fighters should have this mentality (*cough* like, half the current UFC champions *cough*).

Promise to myself. To always be in exciting fights and finish fights .Blood for blood.

#gavamindset— Themba Gorimbo (@TheAnswerMMA) April 9, 2025Meal of a winner.First meal back home— ️ ️ ️ pic.twitter.

com/YvvnQRv0MH— Loma Lookboonmee (@lomalookboonmee) April 9, 2025That’s just mean.Karmas a bitch. Pay back for those spicy wings @One_Punch Jokes aside we have some wicked content coming, funny, serious and educational.

Subscribe via link in bio. (Fight front)https://t.co/o21uhBcwwd pic.

twitter.com/EkTnqOygQy— Nathaniel Wood (@LastKingsmanMMA) April 8, 2025But like, for real.We got dire wolves before GTA 6— Terrance McKinney (@twrecks155) April 8, 2025FINAL THOUGHTS“If you don’t like it, don’t watch.

”And people wonder why the UFC has a star problem. A+ promotion from both the UFC 316 headliners. Reverse psychology maybe?EXIT POLLIf you find something you’d like to see in the Morning Report, hit up @AlexanderKlee or @JedKMeshew on Twitter and let us know about it.

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