Aljamain Sterling, a former UFC bantamweight champ, isn’t buying that Sean O’Malley’s recent lifestyle changes will give him an edge in his rematch against Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 316 on June 7, 2025. O’Malley dropped his title to Merab in September 2024 and has since ditched habits like marijuana to prep for this fight. But Sterling, speaking on “The Weekly Scraps” podcast, thinks those tweaks won’t be the key to beating the current champ.
Skills Over Lifestyle Changes
“I don’t think this is necessarily gonna make a big difference for O’Malley… I just don’t think that that’s gonna be the difference maker,” Sterling said on “The Weekly Scraps” podcast. He’s skeptical that O’Malley’s new approach will shift the fight’s outcome. “It’s the skill set. Can you deal with the pressure and the pace of a guy like Merab?… Not j-ing the peen, giving up marijuana — I don’t know is these things will make a big difference. Maybe he’ll feel better that he did everything possible under the sun to get this win. But does that actually matter?” Sterling asked.
To him, it’s all about whether O’Malley can match Merab’s relentless style, not about what he’s cutting out of his life.
Sterling’s got history with both fighters. He lost his bantamweight title to O’Malley in 2023 and knows Merab’s grinding pace from watching him dominate. Sterling believes O’Malley might feel good about doing everything he can, but he’s not sold that it’ll matter against Merab, who’s currently ruling the division with his tough wrestling and nonstop energy. This rematch is O’Malley’s shot to prove he can bounce back, but Sterling’s betting on skills, not lifestyle, to decide the winner.
