Dvalishvili's Instagram Call for Renewed Trash Talk Ahead of Rematch

As the June 7, 2025 rematch approached, Merab Dvalishvili used social media to influence the narrative. On April 5, 2025 Dvalishvili posted on Instagram (caption quoted in media coverage) calling for the return of outspoken trash talk from Sean O'Malley. Sherdog reported Dvalishvili wrote on Instagram, 'Cut it out [motherf—ers] go back to talking s—t. I need to be mad about you again,' a line that mixed provocation with an apparent marketing intent to reignite public animus and fan interest ahead of the rematch [7]. The post was covered by MMA media as an intentional prompt to increase heat around the fight, and it was framed as Dvalishvili requesting the more personal promotional dynamic that often generates attention and pay-per-view interest. The Instagram message is documented in press reports rather than as a quoted screenshot published by the outlets themselves; Sherdog cited the post verbatim in its coverage of the rematch build-up [7].

The April 5, 2025 Instagram post matters because it demonstrates Dvalishvili using social media not just to taunt but to manage fight publicity, explicitly inviting antagonism to create a more compelling rematch narrative [7]. By asking O'Malley to resume trash talk, Dvalishvili acknowledged the promotional value of personal conflict and attempted to shape how the rematch would be sold to fans and the media.

The Instagram prompt was part of the public lead-up to the June 7, 2025 rematch at UFC 316 and was referenced in pre-fight coverage as evidence that both fighters (and media) were willing to trade on narrative heat to promote the event [7][6]. The rematch proceeded as scheduled and ended with Dvalishvili submitting O'Malley in Round 3, after which both fighters made post-fight comments that included measured praise and shorter coarse remarks, closing the immediate promotional cycle that the Instagram post had helped stoke [6].