UFC 316 DVALISHVILI VS O'MALLEY 2 Post

My Thoughts on UFC 316: O'Malley vs. Merab, Grappling vs. Striking, and What It Really Takes

Hey guys, what's up? Coming at you after UFC 316 to break down what went down at the O’Malley vs. Merab fight and a few of the other big moments on the card. If you’re reading this, you’re probably as pumped about martial arts as I am, or maybe you're new and want to know what matters most when two elite fighters step into the cage. Grab a drink, settle in, and let's get into a deep dive on the fight, grappling vs. striking, and what you need to think about if you want to train or compete.

Fight Night Vibes: The Hype and Build-Up

Man, you could feel it in the air for UFC 316. Fans going crazy, social blowing up, everyone offering hot takes about Sean O’Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili. From the pre-fight interviews to the weigh-ins, the hype was off the charts.

What was everyone debating?
Whether O'Malley’s slick striking would be able to keep Merab's relentless grappling and pressure at bay, or whether Merab would simply smother him with takedowns and pace until he broke.

O’Malley vs. Merab: My Pre-Fight Thoughts

Let’s be real—I kinda expected this fight to go the way it did. Nothing against O’Malley; he’s super talented and dangerous on the feet. But wrestling and grappling are a whole different world, and Merab’s been in that world WAY longer.

“I thought that Merab was gonna win. I didn't know if he would get a finish, but definitely thought that the wrestling was too much.”

O’Malley’s best shot was getting off clean punches before Merab closed the distance. But here’s the thing…

It’s easier for a grappler to pick up striking, than for a striker to pick up grappling and wrestle with a pro that’s been at it since they could walk.

How Grappling Changes Everything

If you watch MMA regularly, you already know: as soon as there’s a serious wrestler or grappler in the fight, things get complicated for everyone else.

Reps: Striking vs. Grappling

One thing I always talk about—maybe you’re tired of hearing it, maybe not—is the difference in how FAST you can rack up experience in striking compared to grappling. Striking is high-volume. Grappling isn’t.

“If we come in and I tell you, ‘okay, how many jabs can you throw in one round?’ You can throw a lot of jabs in one round. But how many double legs can you hit in that same time? Nowhere near as many.”

Let’s break that down:

Striking

• Huge Rep Volume: In one five-minute round, you can rack up hundreds of punches.
  
• Quick Feedback Loop: Every jab is a chance to tweak, fix, and improve right away.
  
• Low Injury Risk per Rep: You can throw jabs all day.
  

Grappling (Wrestling, Jiu-Jitsu, Sambo)

• Low Rep Volume: You can’t shoot for double-legs over and over the same way—not without getting gassed or banged up.
  
• Longer Recovery: Failed takedowns or subs take more out of you, and there’s more risk to body and joints.
  
• Steeper Learning Curve: Without hundreds of “reps” per session, advancement is just slow.

That’s why it takes years and years to catch up if you didn’t start young on the mats.

 
Visualization: Difference in Rep Volume — Striking vs. Grappling.

The Hidden Edge: Years on the Mats

Merab didn’t just train wrestling and grappling—he’s lived it. There’s a big difference between learning takedown defense and being an actual life-long wrestler.

"When you start grappling at a young age, your whole body adapts — you can go hard all day, every day. Your neck, back, shoulders, everything is just built for it."

Think about it:

• Kids on the mat: They’re falling, rolling, scrambling for hours a week.
  
• Adults learning later: Stiff, cautious, bodies aren’t tuned for that level of grind.

That gap is almost impossible to bridge if you didn't put the time in early.

Why This Matters in MMA

• Wrestlers and grapplers with decades of work can pull you into deep water fast.
  
• Strikers just can’t catch up, no matter how solid their hands are.
  

If you’re thinking of starting MMA, understand this: the earlier you start with wrestling or grappling, the more miles you put on, and the bigger the edge you’ll have later.

Why Grapplers Usually Win Against Strikers

Yes, I said it. Strikers can and do win, but if we look at the trends, it’s the grapplers who usually come out on top at the very highest levels.

The Psychology of the Takedown Threat

Let’s talk about something nobody likes to admit—how the fear of the takedown messes with a striker’s game.

“The fear of the takedown matters towards the striker as well. O'Malley's not going to let his hands go when he knows he's about to get his legs grabbed or get taken down and has to defend.”

Here’s what happens:

• Strikers hesitate: Instead of throwing combos, they get nervous about exposing their legs/hips.
  
• Less risk = Less threat: If you worry about the takedown, you don’t open up.
  
• Grappler controls pace: Even faking a shot can freeze up an elite striker.

REAL FIGHT EXAMPLES

• O’Malley couldn’t let his hands go. Every time he thought about loading up or getting creative, Merab threatened to grab him, shoot, or clinch.
  
• Grappler dictates everything. O’Malley wants to use his reach and variety, but if you worry about the takedown, a big chunk of your toolbox is gone.

When Age Catches Up: The Grappler’s Path

Here’s a fun fact you notice when watching MMA over decades:

When guys who wrestled forever get into their late 30s and 40s—they don’t go for a crazy amount of takedowns anymore. Think of legends like Daniel Cormier or Dan Henderson.

“Older wrestlers are mostly striking, even though they’re Olympic level. That’s because their bodies just can’t handle the grind of hard wrestling anymore.”

Why?

• Grappling is hard on the body: Neck, back, shoulders, and joints can only take so much.
  
• Years of impact: Eventually you have to back off the gritty stuff and rely on striking.
  
• But — the base they built early NEVER leaves.
  

So, when you see a late-starting MMA fighter, you KNOW the odds are stacked. The guys who wrestled and grappled since age 5 got in those “100,000-mile tune-ups” their body needed, and new guys can’t relate.

Breakdown: What Actually Happened in the Fight

Let’s get to specifics.

From bell to bell, it looked like Merab had a plan and executed it perfectly.

Striking, Grappling, and Moments That Mattered

• Merab’s Striking: Actually, Merab was looking sharp on the feet! People forget, he’s made huge improvements standing up, which let him mix it up and keep O’Malley guessing.
  
• O’Malley’s Response: Struggled to find range, wasn’t able to sit down on shots because he was worried about sprawls and takedowns.
  
• Grappling Exchanges: Just as we expected, Merab’s clinch, takedown attempts, and ground control were overwhelming.
  
• Submission Win: Merab wraps it up with a slick submission — proof that the groundwork paid off.
  

"Merab was able to cover more ground in the striking department than O’Malley was able to catch him in the grappling department. And it played out that way."

KEY PLAY-BY-PLAY ELEMENTS

1. Early Rounds: O’Malley kept distance, trying to snipe, but always on the lookout for Merab’s shots.
   
2. Mid-Fight: As Merab mixed in deadly takedowns with crisp strikes, O’Malley's comfort on the feet dropped. The “threat” was always there.
   
3. Closing: Merab capitalized on O’Malley’s moment of hesitation and finished the fight.

Sequence: O’Malley defending the clinch, Merab chaining takedowns, finishing with a submission.

The Russian Dominance: Why Grappling Roots Matter

It’s not just Merab. We’ve seen it over and over: guys from Russia, Dagestan, Georgia and that region just dominate in the grappling and control game. Names like Khabib, Islam Makhachev, and others come straight to mind.

"The Russians, Khabib, Islam — they've all proven this style of training your entire life. And it's not just wrestling, it's Sambo or judo, a mix of takedowns and throws, which really favors the grappler in MMA."

• Wrestling isn’t their only tool—it’s judo, sambo, countless live rounds, and competition.
  
• Multi-style base: They train from childhood in mixed grappling environments. It’s second nature.

Grappler vs. Striker: The Results

• Americans with basic high-school or college wrestling can’t keep up at the world level unless they double-down on grappling post-college.
  
• Guys who only started wrestling in their 20s are behind, no matter how athletic they are or how sharp their striking is.

Other UFC 316 Fights Worth Talking About

There was plenty more going on at UFC 316 than just O’Malley vs Merab. Here are quick takes on a couple more standouts from the night:

Kayla Harrison

What can I say? Kayla Harrison did what everyone thought she would. Dominated the fight using her world-class judo. She’s one of those fighters who, like Merab, brings such a high level of grappling pedigree, most opponents just can’t deal with it.

• Kayla’s ground game is on another level
  
• Controlled position and pace
  
• Barely took any damage

Kevin Holland

Huge props to Kevin Holland for his performance! He brought energy, mixed things up, and showed why he’s a fan favorite. It was a good match and he proved once again that he belongs in the upper tier.

• Crisp striking, unpredictable movement
  
• Smart defense and counters

If You’re New: Picking the Right Gym

Maybe you’re reading because you love watching the fights, but now you’re thinking of actually training. The biggest advice I have if you’re new to martial arts:

Pick the right gym and instructor for you.

Doesn’t matter if you want to box, do BJJ, wrestle, or start MMA from scratch—where you start MATTERS.

“If you’re new to martial arts and looking for a gym in your area, check out my book, The Ultimate Guide to Choosing Your Martial Arts School and Instructor.”

A few tips if you’re getting started:

1. Focus on fundamentals, not flashy stuff.
   
2. Try a bunch of gyms; don’t feel pressured to sign up right away.
   
3. Watch a class. See what the vibe is and who the top students are.
   
4. A fit instructor is great, but a kind and knowledgeable instructor is what you really want.

Get the Ultimate Guide: Click here!

Final Thoughts: The Never-Ending Striker vs. Grappler Debate

Every time we get a striker vs. grappler matchup, there’s excitement, debate, wild predictions. But results prove one thing over and over: if you stack up a life-long wrestler or grappler against someone who didn’t start that early, things usually favor the grappler.

“It’s hard to grapple against someone who’s been at it their whole life. Khabib, Islam, now Merab — they’ve all proven it.”

So where does that leave us?

• Striking is fun, but it isn’t enough at the top.
  
• If you want to compete, invest as much time as you can in grappling, and start young if possible.
  
• If you start late, focus on what YOU can control—conditioning, defense, and learn to avoid bad spots.

But man, it’s the variety that makes MMA awesome. Upsets CAN happen, stars can rise out of nowhere, but the old-school wisdom still holds up more often than not.