Sean O’Malley Criticizes UFC 306 Scoring – “Rewatch the Fight”

Sean O’Malley has expressed his discontent with the scoring of his UFC 306 bout against Merab Dvalishvili. After initially accepting defeat, O’Malley is now convinced he should have been awarded the victory and is urging fans to rewatch the fight without commentary, believing this will shift their perception. O’Malley’s claims have sparked debate among the MMA community, particularly because of his high-profile status and outspoken nature, which often garners attention both inside and outside the octagon.

O’Malley’s Revised View on His Performance

Following his loss to Dvalishvili, O’Malley posted a video on his YouTube channel in which he outlined his thoughts about the fight.

In this video, O’Malley stated, “It feels like people think I got dominated in this match. I’m going to ask UFC to upload the fight on YouTube. I took the first, third, and fifth rounds. I challenge everyone who thinks I got beaten to watch it again. Turn off the commentary and then tell me I didn’t win. I took rounds one, three, and five. I’m still the champion—watch the fight again.”

His frustration stems from what he perceives as a misunderstanding of the fight dynamics, particularly in the rounds where he believes he outperformed his opponent. Despite the official result, O’Malley is convinced that his striking and cage control were strong enough to secure three rounds. This assertion directly challenges the official judges’ scorecards, which handed Dvalishvili a unanimous decision victory.

Dominant Wrestling and Tactical Strategy by Dvalishvili

Merab Dvalishvili, known for his tireless pace and elite wrestling, played a crucial role in how the fight unfolded. From the start, Dvalishvili set a punishing pace, relying on his grappling and constant pressure to control O’Malley, who struggled to keep the fight at a striking distance. Dvalishvili’s repeated takedowns and clinch work forced O’Malley to fight defensively for most of the match. By the end of five rounds, the judges awarded Dvalishvili the win, citing his ability to control the tempo and dominate key moments in the bout.

Nevertheless, O’Malley strongly disagrees with this narrative, emphasizing that many of Dvalishvili’s takedown attempts were defended and that his own striking was not given enough credit. He remains adamant that his performance in rounds one, three, and five should have tipped the scales in his favor.

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Criticism for O’Malley’s Inner Circle

One aspect of the controversy surrounding O’Malley’s claims is the criticism he has received for surrounding himself with what some fans and commentators describe as “yes-men.” After watching the fight with his coach Tim Welch and a few close friends, O’Malley felt validated in his belief that he had done enough to win. However, many have suggested that this inner circle may not be providing him with objective feedback, which could be clouding his judgment.

O’Malley responded to this criticism by saying, “It’s funny that people say I have yes-men around me, but if you closely watch rounds one, three, and five without the commentators, you’ll understand what I mean. I don’t need to say much more—just watch those rounds.”

This perceived lack of critical input has led to speculation about whether O’Malley is fully accepting the reality of his performance or if he is simply looking for justification in defeat. Some analysts have pointed out that while O’Malley’s striking was impressive, Dvalishvili’s control and aggression ultimately swayed the judges’ decisions in his favor.

Upcoming Hip Surgery for O’Malley

In addition to the debate over the fight’s scoring, O’Malley has announced that he will undergo hip surgery on October 3 to address an injury sustained during his training camp for UFC 306. The injury, which had been affecting him in the lead-up to the fight, is expected to sideline O’Malley for six months to a year, which means fans will have to wait a while before seeing him in the octagon again.

O’Malley has not indicated any plans to appeal the UFC 306 decision, but his comments and the upcoming surgery leave questions about how this period of recovery might influence his approach and mindset when he eventually returns to competition.