Sean O'Malley rematching Merab Dvalishvili immediately could put him in bantamweight "purgatory," says top MMA analyst
A prominent MMA analyst recently warned that Sean O'Malley could find himself at a career crossroads by taking an immediate rematch against Merab Dvalishvili. 'Sugar' is set to headline UFC 316 on June 7 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, where he will challenge the reigning 135-pound champion in a rematch.
O'Malley and Dvalishvili first clashed at UFC 306 in September 2024, where the American lost his bantamweight title via unanimous decision in a largely one-sided contest.
During a recent episode of his YouTube show, Ariel Helwani weighed in on O'Malley receiving a quick turnaround title shot against 'The Machine' and cautioned that the former champion could jeopardize his future in the division if he suffers back-to-back losses:
"We talk about the risk that Sean's taking. Merab is showing no signs of slowing down. If you're Sean, you could say to yourself, 'Look, I'm popular. I connect with people. I'm one of those guys who may just be popular with or without the belt. Maybe I just go fight some fun fights. I lose to Merab for the second time, I'm in purgatory. I ain't getting a shot at him until he loses.'"
Check out Ariel Helwani's comments below (2:24:00):
Following his setback at UFC 306, 'Sugar' underwent hip surgery and emphasized that he was not at full capacity going into the fight. Meanwhile, Dvalishvili successfully defended his championship for the first time at UFC 311 in January, securing a unanimous decision victory over Umar Nurmagomedov.
Sean O'Malley says he made major lifestyle changes to prepare for upcoming rematch against Merab Dvalishvili
During a recent episode of his TimboSugarShow podcast, Sean O'Malley revealed that after his loss to Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 306, he made significant lifestyle changes and eliminated several distractions, including social media, m*sturbation, and marijuana, to dedicate himself to his comeback.
'Sugar' confidently stated that the positive impact of these adjustments will be evident in his performance against Dvalishvili at UFC 316:
"I feel like a lot of things that have changed in my life are going to attribute to my performance... I don’t get on social media, and I feel like that’s changed my life. It’s only been three months, but I literally feel like it’s changed my life, and I feel like that’s going to play a role in my performance. All those little things –making decisions like that, sacrifices."
Check out Sean O'Malley's comments below (2:05):