Merab Dvalishvili`s sharp instincts proved valuable not just in his dominant performance against Sean O`Malley, but also before the fight even began, during his entrance to the octagon.
At UFC 316 this past Saturday, Dvalishvili successfully defended his UFC bantamweight title by defeating Sean O`Malley via dominant third-round submission in the main event. However, his path to the cage was briefly jeopardized when a fan barricade collapsed during his walkout through the tunnel, causing several spectators to fall onto the arena floor.
Despite this dramatic incident, Dvalishvili appeared largely unfazed, delivering an exceptional showing in the octagon that likely puts his rivalry with O`Malley decisively behind him.
This successful title defense extends Dvalishvili`s impressive winning streak to 13 consecutive victories. The 34-year-old originally claimed the bantamweight belt by defeating O`Malley via decision at UFC 306 in September. Earlier this year, at UFC 311 in January, Dvalishvili handed Umar Nurmagomedov his first professional defeat via unanimous decision in the co-main event. This remarkable run has sparked considerable debate about whether he is the greatest bantamweight fighter in history.
Wesley Dunham 
Marcus Blakely