One Kick to Overcome the Wrestler 🦵
We did 3 rounds, that f*ck*ng teep [kick] is dangerous… – Demetrious Johnson
Sean O’Malley is gearing up for a showdown, seeking a little payback as he steps into the octagon against UFC bantamweight champ Merab Dvalishvili this Saturday in Newark for UFC 316.
In the lead-up to his rematch with Dvalishvili, O’Malley has pulled out all the stops, making sacrifices that would make a monk blush and recruiting a star-studded cast (Demetrious Johnson and Israel Adesanya, to name a few) to help him gear up for a shot at reclaiming the bantamweight crown.
Sean O’Malley still has one of the coldest knockouts in UFC history pic.twitter.com/LHzr63kh27
— Happy Punch (@HappyPunch) June 3, 2025
But could Dvalishvili throw a curveball at O’Malley this time, especially after he sent the previously unbeaten Umar Nurmagomedov packing at UFC 311? O’Malley had a little rendezvous with the surgeon’s scalpel right after his debut dance with Dvalishvili at UFC 306, and now he’s back in the ring after a nine-month vacation from the octagon…
We’re all hyped for UFC 316, but amid the discussions in UFC rumors and analysis surrounding the rematch, multiple MMA pros and former fighters believe one move could be the game changer!
by far my favourite moment between Merab and Sean O’Malley pic.twitter.com/MakSf51IKu
— Dovy🔌 (@DovySimuMMA) June 3, 2025
Hardy, Zahabi, and Johnson Echo the Same Gameplan
Dan Hardy, a former UFC competitor; Aiemann Zahabi, a current UFC fighter; and Demetrious ‘Mighty Mouse’ Johnson, one of the greatest UFC champions in history, have all earned a reputation as some of the brightest MMA minds in UFC news. And on the topic of O’Malley’s chances of redemption at UFC 316 this weekend, interestingly, this trio of fighting thoughts has echoed the exact same advantage that ‘Suga’ could have over Merab…
Body shots are the subject, as both Hardy and Zahabi believe that round five of the first fight, where O’Malley damaged Merab to the body, could be the underlying flaw of the champ’s game. With a readjusted game plan for the rematch, Suga might serve up this same punishment early on.
Sean O’Malley is so over it 😭🥀 pic.twitter.com/qTmErukGrx
— Happy Punch (@HappyPunch) June 3, 2025
If you didn’t see the fifth round of Merab vs. O’Malley, Sean landed a nasty teep kick that visually caused his opponent damage, as the Georgian slightly stumbled and looked winded.
To support these claims, Mighty Mouse, who recently trained with O’Malley, highlighted how the same move, the teep kick, caught and hurt him during their session.
“We did 3 rounds, that f*ck*ng teep [kick] is dangerous. He hit me with it and I was like ‘Oh, that’s your move right there’, that f*ck*ng teep. The same move that hurt Merab in the last fight,” Johnson said.
“When I felt his teep, that’s his ‘bread and butter’ to force me to come across the void and do something. If he’s going to come get me, he’ll teep me and force me to grapple him, or to stifle me,” he added.
Upset Incoming?
As a +226 underdog on the UFC betting odds, O’Malley entered UFC 316 versus Merab as the one expected to lose by the majority. However, if the fight continues exactly from where round five of the first fight left off, said betting lines will shift quicker than you can shout ‘knock him out.’
😳🔥Sean O’Malley recreated a real fight atmosphere in his gym — from the locker room walkout to the entrance, the fight itself, and even the crowd noise. In the middle of it all, he ended up making his sparring partner’s nose bleed.
🎥 @SugaSeanMMA pic.twitter.com/kMR0awdnt6
— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) June 3, 2025
With that being said, as the bigger UFC star of the two, a lot of emphasis is being put on what O’Malley can, could, and should do in the rematch, whilst everyone neglects the fact that The Machine could also enter the octagon with multiple different looks. No, we shouldn’t expect him to stand and bang with Suga for prolonged periods because wrestling is the skill that makes him so dangerous. Still, with the realization of how the fifth round played out, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him avoid a similar scenario at all costs.
Will Suga find the damage early and shock the masses? Or is another Merab mauling on the cards? All will be answered this Saturday at UFC 316, and we cannot wait!
