Sean O`Malley admitted he didn`t perceive imminent danger when Merab Dvalishvili secured a front headlock in the third round, only for the fight to end moments later.
This marked a surprising turn of events for the former bantamweight king, who suffered his first career submission defeat, concluding his rematch against Dvalishvili in the UFC 316 headliner. Days later, O`Malley and coach Tim Welch analyzed the submission, noting Dvalishvili`s apparent confidence in attacking the neck this time, contrasting with his more positional approach in their initial September bout.
“It felt strange,” O`Malley commented on his YouTube channel regarding the submission. “I didn`t anticipate it becoming tight. I thought he was just holding the position, as he sometimes does, but it locked in rapidly.”
“My reaction was, `Oh man`,” he recounted. “I didn`t realize how much time was remaining. I wish I had stayed in my guard longer instead of attempting to stand up and force something. No excuses.”
Having gone the distance with Dvalishvili in their previous meeting, O`Malley could only commend the Georgian fighter for his effective finish in the rematch.
Despite the relatively short period between the two fights (less than nine months), O`Malley gave credit to Dvalishvili for making key adjustments and appearing even more powerful in the second encounter.
“He felt strong last time, but this time he felt exceptionally powerful,” O`Malley stated, adding, “He is the greatest bantamweight ever.”
Although the outcome wasn`t favorable, O`Malley confessed that his perspective following this defeat differs significantly from how he felt after their initial clash.
A contributing factor is his current health status; O`Malley mentioned his body feels great, unlike after the September fight which necessitated immediate hip surgery.
This time, O`Malley recognizes he needs to implement changes before his next fight, but he is healthy and in a good place financially, acknowledging that things could be much worse.
“For me to experience something like that, and then have Sunday and Monday arrive, and not feel sad at all,” O`Malley explained. “I still feel genuinely happy. I feel a degree of disappointment regarding the outcome, and some frustration, but there is no underlying sadness within me.”
“I`m holding my 14-day-old child, Elena is asleep on my chest, [my wife] Dani is right beside me,” he shared. “I`ll close my eyes and visualize moments – when he secured the guillotine, I could have done things differently, this or that – but I can`t change it now. I quickly move on to the next thought; I`m not dwelling on it, letting it spiral into negativity. I still feel really good.”
Having accumulated consecutive losses against Dvalishvili, O`Malley will clearly face a different opponent next, though he isn`t keen on discussing potential matchups at this moment.
During the podcast, a friend proposed a bout against Umar Nurmagomedov, who himself lost a decision to Dvalishvili in January but is currently available.
While that possibility is intriguing, O`Malley stated that above all, he is ready to rest and will consider opponents and a timeline for his return to fighting at a future date.
“It`s pleasant not having to think about a fight currently,” O`Malley commented. “Because I truly want to relax for a few weeks, and it`s much better this way. Even if the UFC told me they have an idea, I wouldn`t want to hear it right now. Let me just unwind for a while.”
Marcus Blakely