UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili secured a decisive submission victory over Sean O’Malley at UFC 316, further cementing his legacy in the division. The technical finish, which Dvalishvili himself dubbed the “north south ninja choke,” has caught the attention of martial arts enthusiasts worldwide, including the Tackett Brothers who recently provided a breakdown of the championship-winning technique.
“Merab slipped in a really nice ninja choke, and we think it was extremely cool, so we want to show how he did it,” the Tackett Brothers explained in their analysis.
According to their breakdown, the submission sequence began when O’Malley was in a vulnerable turtle position.
“Sean O’Malley left his chin up, he was pretty tired, and Merab got his hand deep,” they observed. “Whenever he got his hand deep like this, he locked up this figure four.”
“Suga Sean started turning in to try to turn his face, but this only resulted in the forearm still being on the neck. Merab being able to settle in in this north-south position, being able to squeeze and get a really nice finish on that ninja choke variation from north-south.”
This technical submission capped off what was already a dominant performance by Dvalishvili, who controlled the contest both standing and on the ground before securing the finish in the championship rounds.
The victory extends Dvalishvili‘s impressive winning streak to 13 consecutive fights, a remarkable achievement that has UFC President Dana White considering him among the all-time greats in the division.
“He’s starting to look like one of the best bantamweights of all time, if not the best,” White said following the event. “Sean O’Malley came in 100% healthy, ready mentally, physically, in every way you could be ready for this fight. And Merab finished.”
Dvalishvili‘s championship journey is made even more compelling by his humble beginnings. Born in post-war Georgia, he grew up with limited resources, not even having a television until age 12 or reliable electricity.
“I come from nothing. I started fighting in the sport because I want to represent my country and I think I’m doing okay. I’m happy that I can make my country people, Georgian people proud,” Dvalishvili shared after his victory (h/t calfkicker.com).
The champion credited former titleholder and training partner Aljamain Sterling for his crucial support during preparation.
“In this training camp, my friend Aljamain Sterling helped me so much. He was sparring with me three times a week. And he was two times better than Sean O’Malley striking,” Dvalishvili revealed, adding that he plans to split his performance bonus with Sterling as a wedding gift.
Tim Welch in my DM: If not for the lighting of Prudential Center, Merab Dvalishvili's hands would have wrapped around Sean O'Malley's chest instead of neck & that would have completely changed the fight.#UFC316 pic.twitter.com/8JmIleoqJ4
— Vipul 🇮🇳 (@Vipul_Espeaks) June 8, 2025
Looking ahead, Dvalishvili has his sights set on staying active, mentioning Cory Sandhagen as a potential next challenger.
“Top of my head, he’s the best deserving guy in this division right now. He was fighting always the best of the best. He’s a company guy and he’s very respectful,” Dvalishvili said.
After a brief two-week vacation split between his native Georgia and Bali, the champion plans to return to action, potentially defending his title twice more before the year concludes.
With this technical submission victory and the expert breakdown provided by the Tackett Brothers, martial arts fans have gained a deeper appreciation for the skill and technique that has propelled Merab Dvalishvili to the pinnacle of the bantamweight division.
