Sean O’Malley sensed something was wrong leading up to his first fight with Merab Dvalishvili.
In the upcoming week, the former UFC Bantamweight Champion aims to settle the score against Merab Dvalishvili in the highly anticipated main event of UFC 316.
O’Malley lost his title to Dvalishvili last September at UFC 306, following a difficult training camp plagued by a torn labrum injury. This injury severely limited his ability to prepare for Dvalishvili’s relentless wrestling pressure.
However, the physical injury wasn`t the only challenge O’Malley faced before his second title defense.
Just days before the fight at the Sphere, O’Malley encountered an ominous sign that foretold his defeat to Dvalishvili.
A Dead Owl on His Driveway Fueled Sean O`Malley`s Fears Before UFC 306
Appearing on the Full Send Podcast, O’Malley spoke about a peculiar connection he feels with owls, an animal prominently featured in a tattoo on his chest.
He recounted an experience before his 2022 fight against Petr Yan at UFC 280, where an owl perched near him. O’Malley interpreted this as a sign of good fortune, and he subsequently won that fight by split decision.
The lead-up to UFC 306 presented a stark contrast.
“Owls have been coming in and out of my life in a weird way,” O’Malley stated.
“I have a bunch of owls that live in these trees around me, so I see them quite often.”
O’Malley revealed, “Ten days before the Merab fight, there was a dead owl in my driveway.”
He reacted, “I was like, that can’t be good…”
Reflecting on the fight, O’Malley confessed, “I didn’t wanna think about that and it sounds crazy, but I was like, f—. I just didn’t feel like I was supposed to win that f—— fight.”
Sean O`Malley May Be Targeting Merab Dvalishvili`s Body in the UFC 316 Rematch
While Sean O’Malley didn’t secure the victory against Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 306, his performance offered valuable insights for the former champion.
Notably, in the fifth round, O’Malley landed a teep kick to the midsection that clearly bothered ‘The Machine,’ forcing Dvalishvili to move around the cage to recover.
O’Malley continued to target Dvalishvili’s body with a mix of kicks and punches throughout the remainder of the round.
Recent training footage shared by O’Malley ahead of their UFC 316 rematch shows him specifically drilling attacks aimed at the body.
“Something was seen in that 5th round of the first fight,” commented one fan, acknowledging O’Malley’s focus on body strikes.
Another fan observed, “The only time Sean hurt Merab in the fight was through a body shot. Training smart,” highlighting the strategic potential of this approach.
Percy Harlow