Former UFC Bantamweight champion Sean O'Malley has a plan in mind for his Octagon Return later this year.
Sean O'Malley's attempt to redeem Merab Dvalishvili fell short earlier this month in the Main Event of UFC 316. But despite the fact that she applied a whole series of personal life changes before the Dvalishvili Rematch, O'Malley was submitted in round 3.
For the first time in his combat sport career, O'Malley dropped back-to-back fights. After his second defeat against Dvalishvili, O'Malley is on the outside and looks at the Bantamweight title photo and would probably need a switch at the top of the division to justify a quick path back to the title shot.
In anticipation of UFC 316, the coach Tim Welch van O'Malley hinted that the Bantamweight period of his student might come to an end after a series of brutal weight reductions. But according to O'Malley, he doesn't go anywhere.
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Sean O'Malley is planning to postpone potential relocation of featherweight to pursue Merab Dvalishvili trilogy
O'Malley is one of the largest bantam weights in the division, and he has capitalized his length and reach to become one of the best contenders. After two losses against Dvalishhvili, O'Malley is in a similar position in which Max Holloway was during the Feeder Waard Terms of Term of the BMF champion, and O'Malley plans to follow a similar path.
During a recent performance on the Ariel Helwani show, O'Malley confirmed that a move to the Vederweight division is still on the shelf.
“For me to earn another shot at Merab, I should not be denied,” said O'Malley.
“I have to get a row, win a lot of fights in a row and there is a world that happens. I know I am able to defeat Merab, I also know that he is able to defeat me, and there will be some of me who always wants to get it. He is the only man who has defeated me …
“If I don't get it back, I will be happy with how it takes place. But there is a world where I cannot be denied and get back, but I am happy for him. Merab's F-op a crazy streak now and the greatest Bantamweight of all time.”
Dvalishvili is likely to be confronted with Cory Sandhagen for his next Bantamweight title defense. Sandhagen defeated the most recent former UFC Flyweight Champion DEIVESON Figueiredo last month at UFC des Moines, and has been in the title mix for years.
Despite the Dvalishvili rivement in the rearview mirror for the time being, O'Malley has many intriguing options for a Bantamweight -backkeer opponent. In the aforementioned interview, O'Malley hinted that he already has a name in mind for his planned comeback later this year.
Max Holloway starts full -time lightweight movement with Dustin Poirier's pension fight
After a long, decorated career in featherweight, Holloway will make the full -time move to lightweight and the face Dustin Poirier in the UFC 318 Main Event next month in New Orleans. The BMF championship of Holloway is on the line for the last hurray of Poirier in the Octagon.
Three losses to Alexander Volkanovski led Holloway to pursue a BMF title Matchup with Justin Gaethje on UFC 300, and earned one of the most iconic knockouts in the UFC history. O'Malley will try to replicate a similar result when he returned to the Octagon later in 2025.
The recent success of Holloway shows that fighters can overcome disappointingly to lose skids and turn things around in their career. While O'Malley was able to move to featherweight at a later time, he does not intend to give up his pursuit of Dvalishvili.