UFC Bantamweight Champion Merab Dvalishvili isn`t planning on taking a break after his upcoming second fight against Sean O’Malley.
Dvalishvili and O’Malley are set to headline UFC 316 in Newark, roughly nine months after their initial encounter inside the Sphere.
In their 2024 fight, `The Machine` claimed the 135-pound title from `Sugar` via a unanimous decision after five rounds. This time, Dvalishvili is aiming to finish O’Malley.
Assuming the Georgian champion emerges from the June 7 bout relatively unharmed, he intends to make a quick turnaround for a first-time matchup with a top name in the bantamweight division.
Merab Dvalishvili Open to Quick Fight Against Cory Sandhagen Post-UFC 316
During a recent media availability session previewing his second UFC bantamweight title defense, Dvalishvili briefly discussed his potential plans following the O’Malley rematch.
Although many speculated that Petr Yan might be the logical next opponent for `The Machine` after his victory over Umar Nurmagomedov, Dvalishvili doesn`t believe the Russian will be next in line.
With Yan scheduled to fight lower-ranked opponent Marcus McGhee (O’Malley`s teammate) in July, Dvalishvili hopes for a rapid return after UFC 316 to take on the challenge of Cory Sandhagen for the very first time.
“I want to be busy,” Dvalishvili stated. “I would be happy if I could fight two more times this year [after UFC 316].”
“It seems Cory Sandhagen is ready for me. We have never fought each other. He is an excellent contender. He has fought everyone. He is a well-known, good fighter.”
“I don’t mind having another quick turnaround to fight [Sandhagen] and then fight one more [time] by the end of this year, either in New York or here in my new home in Las Vegas.”
Merab Dvalishvili Admitted Motivation Challenges Ahead of Sean O’Malley Rematch
Before potentially focusing on Sandhagen, Dvalishvili must first replicate his September 2024 success when he faces O’Malley again at the Prudential Center.
Achieving this may not be straightforward, partly due to potential improvements from O’Malley and Dvalishvili’s admitted difficulty in finding motivation.
The Georgian fighter recently confessed that building enthusiasm for the upcoming rematch was tough, given his previous dominant win over ‘Sugar.’
“This is my first rematch in my professional career,” Dvalishvili explained during an interview with Michael Bisping. “I had fights with pro rules in Georgia, but those are not on my official record.”
“So I did have a rematch early in my career, but that doesn’t really count because I was so new to the sport. Now, it’s the first professional rematch. Honestly, I already beat him, and it’s hard to get 100 percent motivated, you know?”
Dvalishvili will need to ensure he has fully overcome this initial hurdle before UFC 316, as he seeks a victory that would extend his reign as bantamweight champion beyond O’Malley’s duration.
Rupert Hartwell