Sean O`Malley felt that something was amiss leading up to his initial bout against Merab Dvalishvili.
The former UFC Bantamweight Champion is preparing for a rematch against Merab Dvalishvili in the main event of UFC 316, seeking redemption for his prior defeat.
O`Malley lost his world title to Dvalishvili at UFC 306 last September, following a difficult training camp. A torn labrum severely hampered his ability to train grappling, a crucial preparation aspect for facing a relentless wrestler like Dvalishvili.
However, the injury was not the sole concern for O`Malley as he prepared for what would have been his second title defense.
In the days leading up to the fight at the Sphere, O`Malley experienced what he perceived as an ominous sign predicting his defeat by Dvalishvili.
Sean O’Malley feared the worst after a dead owl showed up on his driveway before UFC 306
Appearing on the Full Send Podcast, O`Malley discussed his perceived connection with owls, an animal prominently tattooed on his chest.
Before his bout with Petr Yan in 2022, O`Malley recounted an instance where an owl perched nearby, which he interpreted as a positive omen. He subsequently defeated Yan by split decision at UFC 280.
His experience leading up to UFC 306, however, was starkly different.
“Owls have appeared in my life in unusual ways,” O`Malley stated.
He added, “There are several owls living in the trees near my home, so I frequently see them.”
O`Malley disclosed, “About ten days before the fight with Merab, I found a dead owl in my driveway.”
He recalled thinking, “That cannot be a good sign…”
O`Malley admitted about the UFC 306 fight against Dvalishvili, “I tried not to dwell on it, and it sounds strange, but I felt like I wasn`t meant to win that fight.”
Sean O’Malley may be targeting Merab Dvalishvili’s body at UFC 316
Although Sean O`Malley was unsuccessful in his first fight against Merab Dvalishvili, the former champion identified specific aspects from his UFC 306 performance that he can utilize.
Notably, in round 5, O`Malley visibly hurt Dvalishvili with a teep kick to the body, forcing `The Machine` to move defensively around the cage to recover.
O`Malley followed up by landing further strikes, both kicks and punches, to Dvalishvili`s body.
In preparation for their upcoming rematch at UFC 316, O`Malley has been seen practicing body attacks in recent training footage.
Commenting on O`Malley`s focus on body shots, one fan remarked, “Something effective was clearly demonstrated in the 5th round of the first fight.”
Another fan observed about O`Malley`s strategy, “Sean`s only significant strike that hurt Merab in the previous bout was a body shot. He`s training intelligently.”
