Merab Dvalishvili faced Sean O’Malley in a rematch at UFC 316 on June 7 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. Dvalishvili submitted O’Malley in the third round to retain the bantamweight title.
Following his impressive performance, which earned him a Performance of the Night bonus, he called out Cory Sandhagen during his Octagon interview, emphasizing that Sandhagen deserves the next title shot more than any other fighter.
Merab Dvalishvili Eyes Cory Sandhagen as a True Test After UFC 316 Victory
Following his second bantamweight title defense, Dvalishvili was recently interviewed by MMA journalist Ariel Helwani, who asked whether the bantamweight champion considers Sandhagen his toughest test compared to previous opponents.
“The Machine” emphasized that Sandhagen brings a unique style to the Octagon and pointed out that styles make matchups. He acknowledged that facing “The Sandman” would be a great test for him.
.@MerabDvalishvil on potentially fighting @corysandhagenx next:
“He’s a new style and we know there is no MMA math. The style makes the fight and Cory, he’s a different style. It will be a test for me.” pic.twitter.com/cePlEIKSTT
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) June 9, 2025
“He’s a new style and we know there is no MMA math. The style makes the fight and Cory, he’s a different style. It will be a test for me” Dvalishvili said.
Sandhagen could be a real threat to Dvalishvili’s title reign, as he is 4-1 in his last five fights. In his most recent bout, he secured a knockout victory over Deiveson Figueiredo in the second round and is riding high on confidence.
Cory Sandhagen Discusses Strategy To Defeat Merab Dvalishvili
Speaking with Heidi Androl for ESPN MMA, Sandhagen reflected on Merab Dvalishvili’s victory over Sean O’Malley at UFC 316. Sandhagen praised the Georgian champion and expressed his eagerness to fight him.
“I was kind of surprised that O’Malley decided to move as much as he was,” Sandhagen said. “That’s a very tough thing to do against a guy that’s going to press like that. When Merab decides to get aggressive, he gets aggressive, and I’m looking forward to that. Merab is the best guy in the division. He’s maybe one of the best guys in the UFC, and I want to take that guy out.”
“The Sandman” was asked about his strategy to stop the bantamweight king. He expressed that the only way to defeat the Georgian is by knocking him out.
“Yeah, you’ve got to knock that guy out,” Sandhagen said. “That’s it. You’ve just got to knock that guy out.”
Dvalishvili has already defended his title twice this year and shared that he will be returning to his home country for a vacation. He recently expressed that he wants to fight again later this year.