At UFC 306, held at the impressive Sphere in Las Vegas, Merab Dvalishvili claimed the bantamweight championship from Sean O’Malley in a bout filled with unexpected moments and controversial incidents.
The match began with an unusual interruption just 10 seconds into the first round. Referee Herb Dean halted the action to address Dvalishvili’s complaints about O’Malley’s corner. Dean later clarified that he had warned O’Malley’s trainer for “excessive coaching,” a lesser-known rule violation.
As the action progressed, Dvalishvili’s grappling prowess became evident, repeatedly taking O’Malley to the canvas. However, the Georgian fighter’s tactics weren’t limited to conventional moves. In the odd moment during the second round, Dvalishvili attempted to plant a kiss on O’Malley’s back, an action that left spectators and commentators bewildered.
The unusual incidents continued throughout the match, with O’Malley receiving a warning for grabbing Dvalishvili’s glove. Despite these distractions, both showcased their skills, with O’Malley landing several eye-catching shots and Dvalishvili dominating the ground game.
As the action entered its later rounds, the crowd’s reaction became mixed. Boos echoed through the Sphere during the fourth round as Dvalishvili once again took O’Malley down. The final round saw O’Malley attempting to secure a stoppage, but Dvalishvili’s resilience proved too much to overcome.
After five intense rounds, the judges’ scorecards revealed a new champion. Two judges scored the bout 48-47, while the third had it 49-46, all in favor of Dvalishvili. The decision, while clear, was closer than many expected given Dvalishvili’s apparent dominance throughout the match.
In his post-fight interview, an elated Dvalishvili expressed his gratitude to UFC president Dana White, crediting him for changing his life. “I’m living the dream; I’m just a normal guy,” the new champion declared, still seemingly in disbelief at his accomplishment.
At the presser, Merab addressed the incident saying:
“Yeah, so I grabbed his neck, and he had like 10 seconds left. I knew he could wait it out, and he wasn’t going to sleep or tap. I just wanted to have a little fun with him, you know? I don’t hate the guy, I was just messing around a bit, but at the same time, I wanted to show that I was in control, that I dominate the situation. That’s why I was kissing him, but I got a little carried away and lost track of time. When I let go, he followed up and punched me in the head. I started defending myself again and said to the referee, ‘Sorry, ref, sorry.'”
