'Funkmaster' did not receive Rematch after losing the Bantamweight title at UFC 292.
Dana White recently confirmed the news that in the main event of UFC 316 Bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili in a rematch opposite Sean O'Malley will be confronted.
The news came on April 1, which led to fans wondering whether White played a joke to them after we had seen both men on UFC 306 in September for the last time.
O'Malley has already responded to a part of the criticism of the Rematch because of the fact that he did not fight since he was defeated by 'the machine' on Sphere.
After being asked for his opinion, the former opponent of O'Malley and the teammate of Dvalishvili weighed with his thoughts about the decision to run this in Newark on 7 June.
Photo by Barry Chin/The Boston Globe via Getty Images
Aljamain Sterling says that Sean O'Malley earns his rematch with Merab Dvalishvili
In a post on X, former Bantam weight champion Aljamain Sterling explained why he believes that the UFC 316 Rematch is logical.
One of the most important stories on the way to the Bantamweight title fight, together with an argument that it happens in the first place, are the injuries that Sean O'Malley has worn in the game.
The score cards at UFC 306 were quite close and 'Suga' was even able to harm Merab Dvalishvili in the last moments of the fight, which could have led to a different result if he had landed earlier.
Sterling had also called for several factors that influenced his performance prior to his UFC 292 title defense against O'Malley, where he was stopped in the second round after making a relatively fast turn.
He was not offered the opportunity for a rematch, even though he had called on this that he has since moved to the featherweight division where he went 1-1.
In addition to mentioning the business aspects of placing this rematch together with the former champion as the biggest name in the division, Sterling also hit why his former enemy deserves this opportunity based on the work he compiled on 135 pounds.
“Honest answer, the UFC is going to do what is best for the company and the brand. Would I have had an immediate rematch because of the circumstances that go in the first fight? Absolutely. But I understand the business model better than most, and O'Malley is a really exciting guy who has defeated many top five candidate. So I immediately deserve it after all the names.”
Honest answer, the UFC will do what is best for the company and the brand. Would I have had an immediate rematch because of the circumstances that the first fight went? Absolute. But I understand the business model better than most, and O'Malley is a really exciting guy who … https://t.co/iaqamkweas
– Aljamain Sterling (@funkmastermma) 2 April 2025
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Sean O'Malley has also benefited from the record of Merab Dvalishvili
While Aljamain Sterling claimed that Sean O'Malley earns the Rematch based on how many top candidates he has defeated, the record of Merab Dvalishvili also comes into consideration.
If it had not been that 'the machine' was completely dominant against Petr Yan in their 2023 -matchup, 'no grace' would have a much stronger thing to be the next one in line.
After beating Umar Nurmagomedov on UFC 311 in January, one of the new challenges that are for Dvalishhvili is currently not logical.
O'Malley is perhaps one of the biggest names on the Roster, but he was also in the right place on this occasion.
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