Before the March 15, 2024 exchange, Sean O'Malley and Merab Dvalishvili occupied adjacent positions in the UFC bantamweight division: O'Malley was the high-profile star coming off a win at UFC 299, and Dvalishvili was a veteran contender serving as a backup fighter on that card [1][2]. The origin point is a dated, on-record backstage encounter after UFC 299 (slug: dvalishvili-omalley-backstage-ufc-299): Dvalishvili says he asked O'Malley to 'mention my name' and that O'Malley replied, 'I don't even know who you are,' which Dvalishvili said made him 'so mad' [1]. That quote, offered by Dvalishvili in an interview, converted a routine meet-and-greet into a narrative of perceived disrespect that he referenced repeatedly in later media appearances [1]. At this early stage the dispute centered on recognition rather than results. Dvalishvili framed the exchange as a reason he deserved a title opportunity; O'Malley did not publicly counter that specific claim at the time [1]. The backstage confrontation established the rivalry's primary grievance—respect and acknowledgement—so subsequent incidents and the fight bookings carried extra narrative weight for fans and media (see slug: dvalishvili-omalley-backstage-ufc-299) [1][3]. That framing made every later exchange more salient: Dvalishvili converted perceived slights into public motivations, and matchmakers scheduled a title fight that turned the personal grievance into a championship test [1][2].
As of the latest documented report, the most recent public interaction is the June 7, 2025 rematch at UFC 316, where Merab Dvalishvili submitted Sean O'Malley in Round 3 to retain the bantamweight title [6]. There is no record of a formal public reconciliation following that bout; immediate post-fight comments included measured praise from O'Malley alongside a coarse short remark reported in press summaries [6]. Competitive answers are clear: Dvalishvili holds consecutive wins over O'Malley, resolving the championship question in the octagon [2][6]. Public relations answers are unresolved: both fighters continue to use interviews and social media to manage narratives, and neither side has issued an explicit, joint statement of reconciliation in available reporting [4][7][3].
Dvalishvili frames the rivalry as a response to a public slight and a contest over recognition and divisional pecking order; after the March 15, 2024 backstage exchange he publicly campaigned for a title opportunity and then proved his case inside the octagon [1][2][3].
O'Malley presents the situation as a contested fight outcome and a disagreement about scoring rather than accepting the initial narrative of disrespect; after UFC 306 he publicly rewatched the fight and insisted he had won rounds, maintaining his champion identity while later posting mocking content [4][3].
Media and fans saw the rivalry as both a personal dispute and a commercially useful storyline: the March 15, 2024 backstage quote supplied a hook, the UFC 306 decision supplied debate, and the UFC 316 finish supplied finality—each stage generated coverage and discussion [1][2][6].
As of the latest documented reports (Jun 7, 2025), the competitive dispute favors Merab Dvalishvili—he holds consecutive wins over O'Malley—and there is no public record of a formal reconciliation between them; post-UFC 316 remarks included both measured praise and coarse language but not a joint resolution [6][4].
Dvalishvili says the rivalry began when he approached O'Malley backstage after UFC 299 on March 15, 2024 and was told, 'I don't even know who you are,' a line Dvalishvili later cited as motivating his push for a title shot [1].
They fought twice: at UFC 306 on Sep 14, 2024 Dvalishvili won a unanimous decision (official scorecards 49-46, 48-47, 48-47) [2], and at UFC 316 on Jun 7, 2025 Dvalishvili submitted O'Malley in Round 3 to retain the bantamweight title [6].
Yes. On Sep 19, 2024 O'Malley live-tweeted a rewatch and spoke on Twitter Spaces insisting he had won rounds 1, 3, and 5, publicly contesting the unanimous decision that awarded Dvalishvili the title [4].
Yes. On Aug 11, 2024 Dvalishvili publicly criticized O'Malley's head coach Tim Welch, calling him 'not a real coach' and 'not a real man' and saying 'He deserves [me] to smack his face,' which intensified pre-fight rhetoric reported by media [5].
The March 15, 2024 'I don’t even know who you are' line is part of Merab Dvalishvili's on-record account as reported by MMA Fighting; mainstream outlets published Dvalishvili's quote but the published reports did not include on-site video or an on-the-record denial from O'Malley in those pieces [1].
Both fighters used media to shape perception: O'Malley publicly rewatched and disputed judges on Sep 19, 2024 [4], while Dvalishvili used interviews and an Apr 5, 2025 Instagram post to stoke promotional heat; media amplified those moments and sustained interest leading to the June 2025 rematch [7][4].
No. The official unanimous decision awarding Dvalishvili the title at UFC 306 (49-46, 48-47, 48-47) remained unchanged after O'Malley's Sep 19, 2024 rewatch and public dispute [2][4].