One of the most highly-anticipated UFC cards of the year is upon us as UFC bantamweight champion Sean O'Malley (18-1, 10-1 UFC) and challenger Merab Dvalishvili (17-4, 10-2 UFC) prepare to headline the card at UFC 306: Noche UFC at The Sphere in Las Vegas.
Both fighters are coming into the title fight on hot streaks. O'Malley won the bantamweight title against Aljamain Sterling at UFC 292 in August 2023, and defended the belt once with a unanimous decision victory over Marlon Vera earlier this year. Dvalishvili lost his first two fights in the UFC, but has won 10 in a row since to earn his first title shot.
This figures to be O'Malley's biggest test yet as he attempts to defend his belt for a second time. Former UFC champion Daniel Cormier talked about the difficulty of the matchup on ESPN's First Take on Friday.
“This guy fights with a pace and a pressure that is unmatched by anyone inside the Octagon,” Cormier said.
O'Malley and Dvalishvili headline a blockbuster card that includes the trilogy of Alexa Grasso and Valentina Shevchenko for the women's flyweight championship. It will be the first UFC event at The Sphere.
Contrast in styles makes O'Malley vs. Dvalishvili must-see
Sean O'Malley has become a box office superstar during his rise to becoming UFC bantamweight champion, and draws fans everywhere he goes. However, his fight against Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 306 brings a contrast in styles that make this fight his most intriguing one yet.
O'Malley is one of the best striking technicians in the UFC, using his long reach and precise striking out of multiple stances to damage his opponent. He is known as one of the best fighters on the feet in the UFC at the moment, and should have a big advantage in those exchanges against Dvalishvili on Saturday night.
However, he's never fought anyone like the Georgian before. Dvalishvili fights at a relentless pace and is constantly on the attack, wearing his opponents down with his elite stamina and suffocating pressure. He wants to wrestle either on the ground or in the clench against the wall, an area where O'Malley is less comfortable.
The test for Dvalishvili is whether he can maintain that pace for five rounds in a title fight, as opposed to the traditional three. He has one five round fight in his career — a unanimous decision win against Petr Yan in March 2023. O'Malley went 25 minutes during his win over Vera this year.
This fight may very well come down to who can make who uncomfortable. If O'Malley can use his reach to keep Dvalishvili at range and keep the fight on the feet, he will have the upper hand. But if Dvalishvili can wear the champion down and get him into a wrestling match, he could take the belt and become a UFC champion for the first time.
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