Merab Dvalishvili Dominates Sean O'Malley to Capture the Title

LAS VEGAS – Merab Dvalishvili decisively ended "The Suga Show" with a dominant unanimous decision victory over Sean O'Malley to capture the UFC bantamweight title at Noche UFC on Saturday night at the Sphere.

Dvalishvili employed relentless movement, executed six takedowns, and controlled the fight for over 10 minutes, effectively neutralizing O'Malley’s signature knockout power. Despite the high production value of the event, the bout itself lacked the explosive moments many had anticipated. "I knew he was good, but I made him look ordinary," said Dvalishvili (18-4 MMA, 11-2 UFC). "I am the best bantamweight in the UFC."

O'Malley (18-2 MMA, 10-2 UFC), defending his 135-pound title for the second time, struggled throughout the fight, managing only a few front kicks to the body late in the contest. The judges scored the bout 49-46, 48-47, and 48-47, reflecting Dvalishvili’s dominance over most of the match.

Dvalishvili’s aggressive approach began with a takedown three minutes into the first round, which tested O'Malley’s endurance. Though O'Malley managed to get back on his feet briefly, he was quickly dragged back down and caught in a guillotine choke, a scenario he had not faced before in his UFC career. Dvalishvili’s relentless pace and movement kept O'Malley off balance, preventing him from unleashing his potent striking.

In the second round, a well-executed duck-under takedown allowed Dvalishvili to deliver effective ground and pound. He momentarily released a guillotine choke towards the end of the round, giving O'Malley a brief chance to land some strikes, but the opportunity was fleeting.

The pattern continued in Rounds 3 and 4, with Dvalishvili maintaining control and securing additional takedowns. O'Malley did manage to land a front kick to the midsection in the final moments, which seemed to affect Dvalishvili. However, the late surge from O'Malley came too late to alter the outcome.

O'Malley did not attend the post-fight press conference but later addressed his defeat on X, writing, "Over promised, under delivered. Sorry. Love you guys."

Dvalishvili’s victory is noteworthy not only for his personal achievement but also for its significance to his teammate, former champion Aljamain Sterling, who was knocked out by O'Malley in 2023. The loss ended O'Malley’s seven-fight unbeaten streak and impacted his quest for superstar status akin to Conor McGregor. Dvalishvili’s first title defense will be against the UFC’s undefeated No. 2 ranked bantamweight, Umar Nurmagomedov.

The event, hailed by Dana White as potentially the "greatest live combat sports show" ever, took place at the Sphere, a $2.3 billion venue with a massive 160,000-square-foot interior display. The production budget for the night exceeded $20 million.

White praised the event’s presentation and hinted at the potential for Emmy Awards recognition. "You can do more than concerts here," White said. "You just have to do it right." He added, "In 30 years, the only thing that changed in boxing was HD. I always like to push the envelope and try to make things better. When new technology comes out, I try to raise the bar because it should be raised."

When questioned about whether the fights lived up to the event's spectacle, White acknowledged, "You can put up $20 million worth of production, but you can't control the fights. They are what they are. I cannot let that drive me crazy."