Scary Details of Tragic Moment from UFC 316 Revealed by Merab Dvalishvili Coach

Barricade collapse at UFC 316 explained in detail by Merab Dvalishvili's coach following the winning performance.

Scary Details of Tragic Moment from UFC 316 Revealed by Merab Dvalishvili Coach

Merab Dvalishvili's coach talks about the barricade collapse at UFC 316 (via X)

UFC 316 was a massive success for Merab Dvalishvili and his team as they beat Sean O’Malley convincingly and dominantly. The Georgian was the clear betting favorite and proved his worth by submitting O’Malley in the third-round. However, things could have gone differently due to a dangerous close-call accident during Dvalishvili’s walkout to the cage.

The ‘Machine’ made his walkout and greeted fans on the barricades, trying to touch his hands and take pictures. Suddenly, the barricades collapsed, causing chaos before security quickly pulled Dvalishvili aside to protect him from injury. After the fight, his coach revealed in a Submission Radio interview how serious the incident actually was behind the scenes.

We almost got crushed. Merab got pushed out of the way as the thing was falling over, and it fell right in front of us and almost landed on our feet. It was like five fans broke the barricade and it fell over. That was a holy sh*t moment for sure.

John Wood via Submission Radio

Dvalishvili spoke about the incident during the post-fight press conference and revealed he could have been seriously injured right there. Despite everything, he said it didn’t affect his mindset at all because he’s extremely professional and focused on the fight. Still, an injury could’ve led to the main event being canceled, which rarely happens but is always a real possibility.

Dvalishvili is one of the most consistent performers on the roster, which has helped him become a major fan favorite. The excitement surrounding the Georgian is undeniable, thanks to his high activity rate and genuinely humble, respectful personality inside and outside. His lack of finishes was his biggest critique, but at UFC 316, he proved those doubters completely wrong with dominance.

Merab Dvalishvili gets words of praise after UFC 316

Going into UFC 316, Sean O’Malley was confident about reclaiming his title and believed he was fully prepared for victory. He appeared to be in peak form, both mentally and physically, showing no signs of doubt or hesitation before the fight. O’Malley made several key adjustments in his training camp to handle Dvalishvili’s relentless pace, wrestling, and overwhelming cardio.

Merab Dvalishvili gets praise from Tom Aspinall
Merab Dvalishvili gets praise from Tom Aspinall (via X)

However, all of those changes ultimately proved insufficient as Dvalishvili’s intensity and grappling completely shut down O’Malley’s usual striking rhythm. Win the win, the ‘Machine’ has written his name as one most successful bantamweights ever. UFC heavyweight interim champion Tom Aspinall was incredibly impressed by that performance and shared his opinion on YouTube.

Merab just doesn’t stylistically match up with anybody else in the division. He’s just overwhelms guys. He just keeps going, won’t stop. He has that weird herky-jerky standup style. Does 50 takedowns per round. He never stops working for 25 minutes…To me, [Merab] looks unstoppable right now. And ‘The Machine’ is the best nickname that you can have for a guy like this… I want Merab’s cardio. Merab, show me what’s what. Get me in that kind of shape. I’m ready for it.

Tom Aspinall via his YouTube channel

Aspinall is one of the most talented fighters in UFC and finishes fights far more quickly than Dvalishvili typically does. His incredible knockout power allows him to end bouts early, often without taking much damage or needing long, drawn-out performances.

However, with a potential future bout against Jon Jones looming, building up his cardio could prove extremely useful and necessary. That added endurance might become crucial if the fight goes longer, especially against someone as experienced and tactical a wrestler as Jones.

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