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Sean O’Malley’s Ominous Premonition Before UFC 306 Loss
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By Amelia Stein | LAS VEGAS – 2025/05/30 22:57:49
Sean O’Malley had a feeling that something was off leading up to his first fight against Merab Dvalishvili.
The former UFC bantamweight Champion is set to face Dvalishvili at UFC 316, hoping to avenge his previous loss.
O’Malley lost his title to Dvalishvili at UFC 306 last September, following a difficult training camp. A torn labrum hindered O’Malley’s ability to grapple in preparation for the wrestler.
However,the injury wasn’t the only issue affecting O’Malley before his second title defense.
Days before the fight, O’Malley received what he considered to be a bad omen indicating he would lose to Dvalishvili.
Sean O’Malley’s Fear After Dead Owl Appeared Before UFC 306
On the Full Send Podcast, O’Malley mentioned his connection with owls, noting the owl tattoo on his chest.
Before his 2022 fight against Petr Yan, O’Malley saw an owl nearby and took it as a good sign, later defeating Yan by split decision at UFC 280.
UFC 306 presented a stark contrast.
“Owls have been coming in and out of my life in a weird way,” O’Malley said.
“I have a bunch of owls that live in these trees around me, so I see them quite often.
“Ten days before the Merab fight, there was a dead owl in my driveway,” O’malley revealed.
“I was like, that can’t be good…
“I didn’t wanna think about that and it sounds crazy, but I was like, f-. I just didn’t feel like I was supposed to win that f– fight,” O’Malley said about facing Dvalishvili at UFC 306.
“Ten days before the Merab fight, there was a dead owl in my driveway,” O’Malley revealed.
Sean O’Malley’s Strategy: Targeting Merab Dvalishvili’s body at UFC 316
Although Sean O’Malley didn’t win against Merab Dvalishvili, he identified areas for improvement from their UFC 306 match.
In round 5, O’Malley visibly hurt Dvalishvili with a teep kick to the midsection, causing ‘The machine’ to circle the cage to recover.
O’Malley consistently landed body shots on Dvalishvili.
Leading up to his rematch with Dvalishvili at UFC 316, O’Malley has been practicing body attacks in training.
“Something was seen in that 5th round of the first fight,” one fan observed about O’Malley’s body shot training.
“The only time Sean hurt Merab in the fight was through a body shot. Training smart,” another fan commented.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Did Sean O’Malley blame the dead owl for his loss?
- Sean O’Malley stated that finding a dead owl in his driveway ten days before the fight made him feel like he was not supposed to win. However, he also acknowledged his injury as a contributing factor.
- What is Sean O’Malley focusing on for his rematch against Merab Dvalishvili?
- Sean O’Malley is focusing on targeting Merab Dvalishvili’s body, especially with kicks and punches to the midsection, as he found some success with this strategy in their first fight.
- How common is it for athletes to experience premonitions?
- While not scientifically proven, many athletes report experiencing premonitions or strong feelings about upcoming events, which can influence their mental preparation and performance.
