Merab Dvalishvili dominates Sean O'Malley to seize the title in a lopsided victory.

LAS VEGAS -- Merab Dvalishvili brought "The Suga Show" to a decisive halt, securing a unanimous decision victory over Sean O'Malley to capture the UFC bantamweight title on Saturday night in the main event of Noche UFC at the Sphere.

Dvalishvili's relentless pace, six takedowns, and over 10 minutes of control time stifled O'Malley, preventing him from landing one of his signature knockout punches. While the fight didn’t deliver the explosive finish fans might have anticipated, it was a commanding performance from Dvalishvili following a high-energy, spectacle-filled event.

"I know he was good, but I made him look normal," said Dvalishvili (18-4 MMA, 11-2 UFC). "I am the best bantamweight in the UFC."

O'Malley (18-2 MMA, 10-2 UFC) was defending his 135-pound title for the second time but struggled to gain any traction, aside from a few front kicks to the body in the final minutes. Despite the scores being 49-46, 48-47, and 48-47, Dvalishvili dominated nearly every moment of the fight.

Renowned for his relentless takedown ability and seemingly endless stamina, Dvalishvili wasted no time, securing his first takedown just three minutes into the bout and testing O'Malley's toughness. Although O'Malley managed to get back on his feet, he was quickly taken down again and found himself caught in a guillotine choke.

This was unfamiliar territory for O'Malley, 29, who typically controls the pace of his fights, using his knockout power and precision to outclass his opponents. But Dvalishvili’s constant movement made it nearly impossible for O'Malley to land his strikes.

Dvalishvili opened the second round with a perfectly executed duck-under takedown, spending much of the round punishing the champion with ground-and-pound. In a puzzling moment, Dvalishvili released a guillotine choke with only seconds left in the round, giving O'Malley a brief chance to throw a few strikes—his last real opportunity in the fight.

Rounds 3 and 4 saw a similar pattern, with O'Malley beginning to read Dvalishvili's timing but still unable to prevent the relentless Georgian from securing additional takedowns.

The only real excitement came in the final moments when an O'Malley front kick seemed to injure Dvalishvili. Energized by the largely pro-O'Malley crowd, O'Malley tried to mount a decisive attack, but it was too little, too late.

O'Malley did not attend the post-fight press conference but addressed his loss with a brief post on his X account, stating, "Over promised, under delivered. Sorry. Love you guys."

After two initial losses in his UFC career, Dvalishvili, 33, has dominated with 11 consecutive victories, never having had a fight scored against him by the judges. The win was significant not only for Dvalishvili but also for his teammate, former champion Aljamain Sterling, who was defeated by O'Malley in 2023.

O'Malley's loss ended his seven-fight unbeaten streak and hindered his quest for superstar status similar to Conor McGregor. Dvalishvili's first title defense will be against the UFC's undefeated No. 2 bantamweight, Umar Nurmagomedov.

Dvalishvili's victory marked the culmination of an event that UFC President Dana White had touted as "the greatest live combat sports show anybody has ever seen," and it certainly stood out as the most elaborate production in UFC history. Held at the Sphere, a $2.3 billion venue featuring a massive 160,000-square-foot interior display, the event's budget surpassed $20 million, according to White.

Following the event, White claimed the promotion had demonstrated "what’s possible at the Sphere" and predicted the show could win several Emmy Awards.

"You can do more than just concerts here," White stated. "You just have to execute it correctly."

He further noted, "In 30 years, the only change in boxing has been HD. I always strive to push the envelope and improve things. When new technology emerges, I aim to raise the bar because it should be elevated."

When questioned about whether the fights met the high expectations set by the event's spectacle and production value, White responded, "You can spend $20 million on production, but you can’t control the fights. They unfold as they do. I can’t let that drive me crazy."