Exclusive: Merab Dvalishvili's coach explains why fighting Sean O'Malley will be "tricky" in rematch: "It's a two-sided sword"

Merab Dvalishvili's coach recently discussed why a potential rematch with Sean O'Malley would pose some unique challenges. 'The Machine' successfully defended his bantamweight title for the first time against Umar Nurmagomedov, securing a commanding unanimous decision victory in the co-main event at UFC 311 this past weekend.

Dvalishvili dominated O'Malley across all five rounds to claim the 135-pound championship at UFC 306 in September 2024. Even before his fight with Nurmagomedov, the 34-year-old Georgian had made it clear that he was eager for a rematch with 'Sugar'.

During an exclusive interview with James Lynch for Sportskeeda MMA, Dvalishvili's head coach, John Wood, shared his thoughts on a potential rematch with O'Malley.

While Wood acknowledged that O'Malley would likely rectify the mistakes from their first encounter and could be more dangerous, he confidently stated that 'The Machine' would undoubtedly secure a finish over the former champion if they were to meet again:

"Honestly, I think Merab finishes him in a rematch. I really do. I think that it's a two-sided sword where O'Malley's been in there with Merab. He's going to go back to the drawing board and figure out what he felt in there, try to work on it, try to get better, and try to stop those things."

He added:

"Rematches are always tricky. Merab had the element of surprise when you get in there; you've never been in there with somebody like that. Now he has, so I expect him and Tim [Welch] to come up with some game plan that would potentially shut some of the things down. But again, Merab is getting so much better at such a fast pace that I think no matter what goes on in there, he's going to be prepared."

Check out John Wood's comments below (8:48):

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John Wood shares insights on Merab Dvalishvili's potential return schedule

Merab Dvalishvili has previously stated that following UFC 311, he hopes to make a quick turnaround, potentially as early as March. The Georgian standout has also expressed his desire to maintain a busy schedule this year, aiming to step into the octagon two or three more times in 2025.

However, in the same interview with Sportskeeda MMA, John Wood shared that he would prefer 'The Machine' to allow himself some time to recharge. He suggested that Dvalishvili should consider making his next title defense in May or June:

"I would appreciate it if he could have a couple of months to just, like, chill. And by chill, I mean he's going to be back in here in the next few days training... If we get lined up by May or June, that wouldn't make me mad. April would be a little quick, but May or June-ish feels like we have plenty of time to heal." [7:00]