Former bantamweight titleholder Sean O’Malley went into the UFC 316 championship rematch in opposition to Merab Dvalishvili assured that he would win again the title from the person who took it. But it surely wan’t meant to be.
The 2 first fought on the historic UFC 306 occasion at The Sphere in Las Vegas final September. The combat went the gap with Dvalishvili profitable through unanimous resolution and he was even higher within the rematch.
“He felt totally different. He felt stronger,” O’Malley mentioned on his YouTube channel.
Dvalishvili submitted O’Malley within the third spherical to retain the title contained in the Prudential Middle in Newark, N.J. final Saturday. When Dvalishvili first utilized the north-south choke, “Suga” did not initially really feel in peril.
“It was bizarre as a result of I did not really feel prefer it was going to be tight. I felt like he was form of going to stall in that place like he does and it acquired tight quick,” O’Malley defined. “I used to be like, ‘Oh, f*ck.” I did not notice how a lot time was left. I want I might have simply been in my guard extra as a substitute of attempting to rise up and make one thing occur.
“No excuses. I had an ideal camp. Camp was f*cking actually good. Sparring was good, The whole lot was excellente.”
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Whereas upset with the end result, O’Malley maintained a optimistic angle. Following their first combat, he went into hip surgical procedure days later. This time round, he flew dwelling comparatively unscathed.
“Not having to get surgical procedure after the combat, it is so like, oh my God. I do not know if that is why it nonetheless feels so f*cking like glad, grateful. I haven’t got to get surgical procedure,” O’Malley mentioned. “After the final combat, that sucked. Shedding the belt after which having to get surgical procedure proper after, that was was not good.
“This time, it is like, properly, what are you going to do,” continued O’Malley. “Happiness is a ability, so for me to have the ability to undergo one thing like that after which the subsequent Sunday rolls round, Monday rolls round, I do not really feel unhappy in any respect. I nonetheless really feel very glad. I really feel somewhat upset within the final result. I really feel pissed off, however there is not any unhappiness within me.”
O’Malley needs to leap again within the health club and get again to coaching to increase on the enhancements he made in preparation for UFC 316.
“I need to get again within the health club, again to coaching. I really feel I grew a lot that combat camp as a fighter. There’s nonetheless so much for me to do, clearly, so much to work on. I am excited to get again to work,” he mentioned. “I am additionally really feel like I grew so much in my private life in that combat camp … That was so price it. Win or lose, I really feel like I gained a lot from that camp.”
