“September 15, 2024 6:50 pm ET (ALSO SEE: Sean Shelby’s Shoes: What’s next for new champ Merab Dvalishvili after UFC 306?) Sean O’Malley’s time as bantamweight champion came to a startling end Saturday when Merab Dvalishvili took his belt in the UFC 306 main event. Unlike his previous loss to Marlon Vera, which he later”, — write: mmajunkie.usatoday.com
Sean O’Malley’s time as bantamweight champion came to a startling end Saturday when Merab Dvalishvili took his belt in the UFC 306 main event.
Unlike his previous loss to Marlon Vera, which he later avenged, there was no doubt about this one. O’Malley (18-2 MMA, 10-2 UFC) was outworked by Dvalishvili (18-4 MMA, 11-2 UFC) over five rounds in a unanimous decision defeat at Sphere in Las Vegas, showing his grappling still needs to improve in the performance.
O’Malley’s quick climb to the top meant he skipped over fighting many noteworthy, ranked names at 135 pounds. He’s going to have to go through some of them now if he ever wants the gold back, and there’s no shortage of intriguing matchups.
Who should be next for O’Malley? Watch the video above for thoughts and analysis on his future after UFC 306.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 306.
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