Merab Dvalishvili entered the UFC 306 bantamweight title fight last September at The Sphere in Las Vegas against then titleholder  Sean O’Malley as the longtime top contender in the division.  O’Malley won the 135-pound title the year before by knocking out Dvalishvili’s teammate  Aljamain Sterling at UFC 292. Heading into the UFC 306 clash with “The Machine,” O’Malley was coming off his first title defense. He had settled the score with Maron “Chito” Vera , defeating the Ecuadorian in a one-sided decision. Dvalishvili made the walk to the octagon that night riding a ten-fight winning streak and beaming with confidence. Merab Dvalishvili vs. Sean O’Malley 1 Fight Video Following their first fight, O’Malley went into surgery while Dvalishvili defended his title for the first time