Merab Dvalishvili`s unexpected rematch against Sean O’Malley at UFC 316 largely stemmed from a lack of clear contenders in the bantamweight division. However, the landscape is expected to shift after Saturday night.
Since the announcement of O’Malley receiving an immediate rematch despite his loss to Dvalishvili last September, new potential challengers have emerged. Among them is perennial threat Cory Sandhagen, who made a strong statement with his win over Deiveson Figueiredo in May. Given Sandhagen`s consistent high ranking and the fact that he has never faced Dvalishvili, he appears to be a top candidate for the next title shot.
“Right now, clear contender looks like it’s Cory Sandhagen, especially [because] we never fought each other,” Dvalishvili stated during UFC 316 media day. “He has a good style, a good fighter. He beat a lot of good guys in this division.
“I’m sure MMA fans want to see this fight. But most important is what the UFC wants. I am champion now and whoever the UFC will give me, I will fight the next contender, the next best guy in the division.”
Sandhagen boasts an impressive 4-1 record in his last five outings, with his only recent defeat being a decision loss to Umar Nurmagomedov, whom Dvalishvili previously defeated in January. His strong resume and lack of history with the champion position Sandhagen favorably for a title shot should Dvalishvili retain his belt at UFC 316.
Another fighter who could dramatically advance in the division on Saturday is former Bellator bantamweight champion Patchy Mix, making his highly anticipated UFC debut.
Mix is set to face Mario Bautista in a crucial bantamweight bout. Both fighters enter with significant winning streaks, collectively holding a 14-0 record over their last 14 fights. The winner is poised for a substantial leap forward in the rankings.
Interestingly, Mix and Dvalishvili share a training relationship, having spent considerable time training together in recent years. While this wasn`t an issue when Mix competed in a different organization, he is now part of the UFC roster and aiming for the same title currently held by Dvalishvili.
Despite their status as teammates and friends, Dvalishvili is adamant that he will not find himself in a similar situation to the one with Aljamain Sterling, where they declined to fight each other while both were top contenders.
“Patchy Mix is a great fighter,” Dvalishvili commented. “Yes, we’re training a lot [together]. He’s one of the best and I respect him. I’m happy for him he’s in the UFC right now. I wish him all the best. It’s good for the UFC, good for the division we have another top fighter in this division. It’s good. He told me he was coming to the UFC and we talked about this and we are cool, we are friends, we are training together.
“It’s not the same as it was between me and Aljo. If the time comes, we will fight each other. It’s nothing personal. He’s fighting for his family, I’m fighting for my family and my team. That’s all good. I wish him good luck in his fight and hopefully I’m going to win this fight against Sean O’Malley and we’ll see from there.”
Another name brought up in discussion was current flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja, who has hinted at a potential move up to the bantamweight division in the future.
Currently, Pantoja has his own challenge ahead at UFC 317, facing Kai-Kara France in the co-main event. However, if the Brazilian champion decides to move up, Dvalishvili is welcoming of the prospect.
“Yes, he’s a respectful champion,” Dvalishvili said regarding a possible fight with Pantoja. “If he moves up and the UFC and lets him fight for the belt, no problem. I’m a champion now. I’ll fight whoever the UFC choose for me to fight.”
Before any potential future matchups, Dvalishvili`s immediate focus is on getting through Sean O’Malley for a second time. He expressed readiness to face what he anticipates will be a fully focused and improved challenger.
“He should be 70 percent better because he quit a lot of stuff,” Dvalishvili speculated about O’Malley. “He quit social media, he quit smoking weed and I’m sure he was more focused on wrestling, getting better knockout power. I want to test all of that. I’m ready for the best version of Sean O’Malley.”
