Merab Dvalishvili became the UFC’s new bantamweight champion tonight at UFC 306 after ending Sean O’Malley’s title reign with his dominant wrestling ability.
Round One:
The bantamweight title main event is underway at the Sphere in Las Vegas!
O’Malley pressing forward immediately. Dvalishvili is yelling at O’Malley’s corner and that forces the ref to stop the fight for a moment to warn him not to do that. Bizarre! He does have beef with Tim Welch though due to O’Malley’s coach’s vocal interference in his teammate Aljamain Sterling’s fight in the past.
High kick attempts from Dvalishvili. Now a fast head kick attempt from O’Malley that just misses. Leg kick for Dvalishvili.
Dvalishvili now taking the center of the Octagon and pressuring forward constantly. Body kick from Dvalishvili.
O’Malley popping out his jab. Double jab and tries to fit a right hand behind it. Nice right hand from the champion.
Dvalishvili goes in on his first takedown attempt and lands it against the cage. O’Malley back up under fire and is dragged back down to his knees. Dvalishvili landing solid knees to the leg.
O’Malley back up. He spins and manages to escape the clinch.
O’Malley misses a punch and Dvalishvili lands nicely on the counter then takes him down. Dvalishvili in on a guillotine choke attempt, but O’Malley escapes that and then stands up.
Dvalishvili pointing at O’Malley as they square off at range. Missed high kick attempt from O’Malley late in the round.
Round Two:
Body kick for Dvalishvili. Lots of movement from Dvalishvili on the outside. Body punch from O’Malley.
Another body punch from O’Malley. He lands another. Swing and a miss from O’Malley as he loads up just as Dvalishvili ducks under to land a takedown.
Dvalishvili staying on top. He postures for a moment and O’Malley threatens with an upkick. Dvalishvili back in tight. O’Malley threatens to work a triangle choke, but he grabs his rival’s glove which leads to a warning from Herb Dean.
The fight is then reset with Dvalishvili still on top. Dvalishvili starting to land some good ground-and-pound. O’Malley tries to just accept getting hit a few times in order to scramble back to his feet, but he can’t get there. He does get over to the cage though.
Dvalishvili peppering him with knees to the leg. O’Malley trying to stand against the cage. Dvalishvili keeps him down and works for a guillotine choke.
Dvalishvili showboating now and gets up and walks away a few seconds before the round ends. O’Malley gets up and lands a punch to Dvalishvili while his back is turned from him.
Round Three:
Spinning backfists from Dvalishvili miss. O’Malley struggling to get his striking going here. He lands a kick to the body. Now a punch to the body too.
Dvalishvili grabs hold of a single-leg and then drives forward to secure it. Nice knee from Dvalishvili. O’Malley on his knees against the cage and then stands. Dvalishvili lands a knee to the head. He does that again.
O’Malley able to break away. Leg kick from Dvalishvili. Calf kick for Dvalishvili. He tries to grab a leg to go for a takedown but it doesn’t pay off this time.
Inside leg kick for Dvalishvili. O’Malley presses forward with a left hand. Dvalishvili grabs a leg but O’Malley pulls it away.
O’Malley gets through with a left hand to the head. A rare win for him in this fight. Dvalishvili ducks into a takedown attempt and O’Malley stuffs it.
Dvalishvili comes forward and O’Malley times a good punch to thwart his advance. Well timed knee to the head from O’Malley late in the round. Finally some signs of promise for the champ after having had a tough time getting going up until then.
Round Four:
Body punch for O’Malley. He lands that again. Now a right hand upstairs. Jab for him. Dvalishvili misses with a punch. O’Malley connects again.
Dvalishvili runs into a takedown and lands it. Elbow from O’Malley cuts Dvalishvili. Dvalishvili in half-guard in the center of the Octagon though with just over 3 minutes of the round remaining.
A few body punches from Dvalishvili. That’s not enough for Herb Dean though who tells him to work. Dvalishvili responds by landing a few elbows to the head.
O’Malley trying to get away here, but Dvalishvili adjusts his position and secures half-guard again.
Nice punch for Dvalishvili. A couple more land as O’Malley starts to work to his knees and then stands. Dvalishvili stays clinched to his back and lands a couple of knees. O’Malley goes back down to his knees.
O’Malley on his back now trying to work butterfly guard then gets his back to the cage. Dvalishvili threatens with the guillotine, but not for long.
Late in the round Dvalishvili lands some solid ground-and-pound and O’Malley didn’t like that and quickly tries to scramble up under fire as the round ends.
O’Malley gets back to his corner and hunches over on the stool looking tired.
Round Five:
Dvalishvili circling back and forth on the outside. He continues doing that safe in the knowledge that if he can get through this final round then he’s won the fight.
More circling for the challenger. The ref is urging him to fight. Dvalishvili bides his time and then drives into a takedown that he lands.
O’Malley shuffles over to the cage and starts to stand while eating a few knees to the leg. Dvalishvili keeps him down.
O’Malley stands up and gets back to striking range. A couple of kicks from O’Malley, but not too much behind them.
Front kick to the body from O’Malley and Dvalishvili seems hurt from that and is now circling with more urgency.
Dvalishvili again lands a front kick to the midsection and again looks uncomfortable from that contact. Threatening knee from O’Malley now.
O’Malley know he needs a finish here now, and Dvalishvili is looking up at the clock, something you never see from him.
Dvalishvili able to time an important late takedown though and makes it to the end of the round.
Decision:
Dvalishvili was able to successfully implement his gameplan here and up until the final round O’Malley barely lay a meaningful strike on him, ensuring that he earns a decisive unanimous decision victory (49-46, 48-47 x2) while becoming the UFC’s new bantamweight champion.
