At UFC 316 in Newark on June 7, 2025, Merab Dvalishvili successfully defended his bantamweight title with a commanding performance against Sean O’Malley. He finished the fight via north-south choke in the third round — marking his 13th straight win.
The submission was his first finish by choke since 2017, and his first stoppage since 2021. Many praised the performance as one of the most complete of his career.
With the win, Dvalishvili didn’t just retain his belt — he also climbed to No. 2 in the UFC’s pound-for-pound rankings, just behind Islam Makhachev, surpassing Jon Jones in the process.
He referred to his finish as the “Machine Choke,” a technique he developed alongside his team, led by John Wood and longtime coach Ray Longo.
Dvalishvili’s run — 13 straight victories and two title defenses — has reignited the debate: is he already the greatest bantamweight of all time? Some experts still put Dominick Cruz at the top, while others, including UFC President Dana White, believe Merab has earned a serious spot in the GOAT conversation.
As for Sean O’Malley, this was his second loss to Dvalishvili. He admitted he was “well prepared” but simply couldn’t match the Georgian’s pace. He plans to take a short break before returning to the Octagon.
