Former UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley is taking extra steps to get ready for the UFC 316 main event.
O’Malley is seeking revenge in a rematch against Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 316 on June 7th in Newark. This fight comes after O’Malley lost his bantamweight title to Dvalishvili at UFC 306 last September.
Right after UFC 306, O’Malley asked for a rematch, saying he was unfairly judged in his unanimous decision loss. Since then, he has been away from competition to recover from a hip injury and change his lifestyle before returning to fight at UFC 316.
Some of O’Malley`s changes since the first Dvalishvili fight go beyond just MMA training.
Sean O’Malley Quits Marijuana, Masturbation, and Gaming Before UFC 316 Title Fight
In a recent episode of his podcast, TimboSugarShow, O’Malley talked about his time away after losing to Dvalishvili.
“I believe many changes in my life will improve my performance,” O’Malley said. “For example, I`m done with social media in 2025. I don’t use social media anymore, and it feels life-changing, even in just three months. I believe this will help my performance. These small decisions and sacrifices, like giving up social media, will help me perform better in the future.”
O’Malley further explained the sacrifices he’s making for the Dvalishvili rematch.
“I haven’t masturbated at all in 2025,” O’Malley stated. “No social media, no masturbation, and I’ve also quit gaming. I used to game a lot, two or three hours daily, and I needed a replacement. Now, I play Texas Hold ‘Em poker with friends, which is very fun and addictive, like gaming.”
“I also quit smoking weed suddenly because I didn`t like how it made me feel. I`m also eating healthier and sleeping better. I might smoke again in the future, but for now, I don’t feel the need or desire. I feel it’s been beneficial.”
Before losing to Dvalishvili, O’Malley had a strong UFC record, including wins over Aljamain Sterling and Marlon Vera. He is still a major pay-per-view star in the UFC but faces a tough challenge in his rematch with Dvalishvili.
After the rematch between Dvalishvili and O’Malley for UFC 316 was announced, fan reactions were mixed. Some fans think O’Malley doesn’t deserve an immediate rematch after only one title defense, a feat Dvalishvili matched by defeating Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC 311.
Sterling didn’t get an immediate rematch after losing his title to O’Malley at UFC 292. After that loss, Sterling moved to featherweight, won against Calvin Kattar, and then lost to Movsar Evloev at UFC 310.
O’Malley has an opportunity to fix his mistakes from the first Dvalishvili fight and show his improvements. It remains to be seen if his push for an immediate rematch will lead to success or be a mistake.
