Merab Dvalishvili teases Sean O’Malley rematch for UFC 309, O’Malley responds

Merab Dvalishvili is offering to put his rivalry with Sean O’Malley to bed for good.

“The Machine” handily won a five-round unanimous decision at UFC 306 to take the bantamweight title from O’Malley, but the former champion has questioned the scoring since, arguing that he did enough to win three rounds of the fight.

Though O’Malley came on strong in the fifth and arguably won the third, it’s difficult to figure out what other round the judges could have given him given that Dvalishvili controlled the majority of the action with his grappling. Regardless, Dvalishvili appears to be open to facing O’Malley again, and soon, as he took to social media to propose a rematch at UFC 309 on Nov. 16 at Madison Square Garden in New York.

“I hear O’Malley thinks he won the fight and is looking for a rematch,” Dvalishvili wrote in a Twitter post tagging O’Malley.” If he wants it, he can have it. Let’s do Nov. 16 at the Garden and then I’ll still defend the title against whoever the UFC wants me to fight next. What do you think?”

Dvalishvili’s assurance that he still plans to defend against another contender is probably good news for fight fans eager to see him lock up with undefeated bantamweight Umar Nurmagomedov. A matchup between Dvalishvili and Nurmagomedov would put the champion’s 11-fight win streak against an opponent that is yet to lose in 18 pro bouts.

Regardless, it doesn’t sound like O’Malley plans to take Dvalishvili up on his offer as he has an upcoming surgery that could keep him sidelined well into 2025. He replied to Dvalishvili, telling him that he should just fight Nurmagomedov instead.

“Getting surgery Oct. 3,” O’Malley wrote. “Fought you with one hip and still beat you. Rounds 1, 3, 5. I’m the champ. Fight Umar.”

Nurmagomedov has also chimed in via social media:

Dvalishvili later offered a clarification, claiming that it’s O’Malley who has been pushing for a rematch and that he’s simply accommodating that request—on his terms.

The bantamweight champion also reiterated that he is open to fighting Nurmagomedov or any other opponent once his business with O’Malley is resolved.