Sean OMalley hasn’t lost hope of beating UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili despite two defeats. In a YouTube video, the former champion shared his belief in a future win and gave his take on Dvalishvili’s upcoming title defense against Cory Sandhagen at UFC 320 in October. OMalley sees the fight as a close call, praising both fighters’ skills.
OMalley Stays Hopeful and Analyzes Fight
OMalley opened up about his past fights with Dvalishvili.
He said, “I truly believed I was going to go out there and make Merab look stupid. I’m so delusional that I still believe I can do that. Max Holloway beat Dustin Poirier in their third fight. Lost the first two. So never say never.”
He pointed to Holloway’s comeback win as proof he could one day top Dvalishvili.
For the UFC 320 title fight, OMalley gave Sandhagen a slight edge in skill but noted Dvalishvili’s unique style.
He said, “When it comes down to overall who’s the more skilled fighter, top to bottom, I think Cory is. But sometimes that doesn’t matter when you have a guy like Merab who will shoot and change levels and throw stuff. It looks sloppy. When I was watching film on him, you look at it and it looks sloppy. You’re like OK, I can catch him here, catch him here. He surprised me twice. I wasn’t able to crack him, wasn’t able to catch him. I do think he’ll surprise Cory a little bit but I also wouldn’t be surprised if Cory surprises Merab on his wrestling defense and his scramble ability and just fight IQ in general.”
OMalley gave props to Dvalishvili’s reign, saying:
“As of right now, Merab Dvalishvili is the No. 1 Bantamweight of all time. It’s exciting for him to stay active like he wanted to.”
Sean OMalley, a 30-year-old from Montana, joined the UFC in 2017 after a knockout on Dana White’s Contender Series. Known for his sharp striking, he built an 18-3 record with 1 no-contest. He won the bantamweight title in 2023 by knocking out Aljamain Sterling at UFC 292. OMalley defended the belt once before losing it to Dvalishvili at UFC 306 by unanimous decision. Their rematch at UFC 316 ended with Dvalishvili submitting him via guillotine choke in the third round. OMalley made changes, like quitting marijuana and social media, but couldn’t stop Dvalishvili’s wrestling.
Merab Dvalishvili, a 34-year-old from Georgia, is the UFC bantamweight champion with a 19-4 record. He’s on a 12-fight win streak, beating OMalley, Umar Nurmagomedov, and Henry Cejudo. His relentless wrestling and pace earned him the title at UFC 306 and a 2025 ESPY for Fighter of the Year. Dvalishvili’s third title defense in 10 months against Sandhagen at UFC 320 shows his busy schedule.
Cory Sandhagen, ranked No. 4 at bantamweight, has an 18-5 record. The 33-year-old from Colorado is known for sharp striking and solid wrestling defense. He knocked out Deiveson Figueiredo in May at UFC Des Moines, earning his title shot. Sandhagen has never fought Dvalishvili but shares common opponents like Nurmagomedov, who beat him in 2024. Sandhagen believes his scrambling and fight IQ can challenge Dvalishvili.
