UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili almost took a hit before entering the Octagon with Sean O’Malley.
Merab Dvalishvili shut down Sean O’Malley‘s attempt at reclaiming the bantamweight throne at UFC 316. Just nine months after their first fight went the distance at UFC 306, Dvalishvili finished O’Malley in their rematch, tapping O’Malley with a north-south choke in Round 3.
It was Dvalishvili’s first submission win since submitting Sukhrob Aydarbekov in his eighth professional fight at Ring of Combat 59. In his next fight, Dvalishvili knocked out Raufeon Stots with a spinning backfist to earn a UFC contract.
But while Dvalishvili put on another signature performance at UFC 316, disaster nearly struck the bantamweight champion as he made his walk to the Octagon.
Merab Dvalishvili reacts to crowd barrier collapse during UFC 316 walkout
As Dvalishvili and his team entered the Prudential Center arena and walked to the Octagon, the bantamweight champion was engaging with fans up above. Suddenly, a barrier collapsed and several fans nearly fell right on top of Dvalishvili, but luckily missed him as they fell to the floor.
It was a bizarre entrance to the arena for Dvalishvili, who isn’t a stranger to strong reactions from UFC fans.
During the UFC 316 post-fight press conference, Dvalishvili reacted to the bizarre incident during his walkout.
“That’s funny. What happened was I walking, people tried to touch me, and then they almost knocked me out before I walked in,” Dvalishvili said.
“Then security put me against the wall, and I’m like ‘I’m a fighter! Let me go!’…but thank god, they told me nobody got hurt and everything was good…I saw what happened, and I’m just professional and there was nothing I could’ve done at the time.
“I couldn’t help people, it happened, and I had to make the walk to the Octagon. I was fighting!”
UFC CEO Dana White confirmed that no one was hurt in the crowd barrier collapse during UFC 316. Security personnel were able to clear the scene quickly and proceed with Dvalishvili’s walkout.
Merab Dvalishvili accepted next potential fight just minutes after UFC 316 win
After defeating O’Malley, Dvalishvili is likely set for a matchup with a new opponent for his next bantamweight title defense. Cory Sandhagen, who defeated Deiveson Figueiredo last month at UFC Des Moines, has won four of his last five fights overall.
Sandhagen has been in the bantamweight title mix for a while, but a loss to Umar Nurmagomedov last August set him back in the division. Sandhagen’s recent win over Figueiredo set him up for a potential showdown with the Dvalishvili vs. O’Malley 2 winner after UFC 316.
In his post-fight interview, Dvalishvili accepted Sandhagen as the likely next title challenger. The two met up backstage and shared a cordial conversation ahead of a potential title fight.