Overview

• Merab Dvalishvili secured his second straight title defense at UFC316 by submitting Sean O’Malley with a third-round guillotine choke.
• The Georgian champion’s 13-fight winning streak now includes three UFC bantamweight title defenses since UFC306.
• Following his UFC316 win, the promotion elevated Dvalishvili to No.2 in its official pound-for-pound rankings, leapfrogging Jon Jones and Ilia Topuria.
• UFC CEO Dana White and Dvalishvili have both signaled that former interim challenger Cory Sandhagen is the most deserving contender for the next title bout.
• Coach John Wood warned that Dvalishvili’s grappling will become more aggressive, promising an even more violent style in future fights.