MMA News

Tag: Sean O’Malley

  • Sean O’Malley Promises To Reopen Merab Dvalishvili Cut At Noche UFC: ‘The Dude’s Just Not That Smart’

    Sean O’Malley Promises To Reopen Merab Dvalishvili Cut At Noche UFC: ‘The Dude’s Just Not That Smart’

    UFC Bantamweight Champion Sean O’Malley has seemingly made a mental note of the cut Merab Dvalishvili suffered in training.

    O’Malley will put his gold on the line in the main event of Noche UFC/UFC 306 next weekend, topping the lineup alongside Dvalishvili for the promotion’s second Mexican Independence Day celebration.

    Their bout marks the main attraction of the highly anticipated event at the Sphere in Las Vegas. But the lead-up to the card was briefly struck by cancellation fears after Dvalishvili posted a cut from camp on social media a few weeks out.

    While the Georgian challenger insists his title shot was never in jeopardy and has since returned to usual training, that didn’t stop UFC CEO Dana White from publicly slamming “The Machine.”

    “The whole world knows about Merab’s cut. He posted it. Our guys are so dumb, it’s next-level unbelievable,” White said during a DWCS press conference. “All the stuff I talk about boxing, what I will give boxing, is when something happens in a camp, man, let me tell you what, it does not leak. Our guys can’t f*cking wait to throw it up on social media.

    “It’s a small cut. It’s no big deal. But obviously, it needed to be posted,” White continued. “Why the f*ck would you want him to know that? It is next-level stupid. Some of these guys are so stupid it’s mind-boggling. It’s unbelievable.”

    And we can seemingly count O’Malley among those who agree with White’s take…

    O’Malley Puts Dvalishvili’s Cut In His Crosshairs

    During a recent interview with Kevin Iole, O’Malley looked ahead to his sophomore bantamweight title defense, touching on one of the main topics that has arisen in the latter part of the Noche UFC build-up.

    Many suggested Dvalishvili made a mistake by publicly displaying a cut for his opponent to target, and “Sugar” backed that up by insisting he will reopen the blemish at some point in the PPV main event on Sept. 14.

    “I am 100 percent going to open up that cut, whether it’s healed or not,” O’Malley said. “I don’t know how much it can heal. I’ve never really had any bad cuts, so I’m not sure. But that’s the left side of his face. This right hand doesn’t miss.

    “I’ll probably accidentally hit his nose before I hit that cut. That nose just kinda takes up like 85 percent of his face, so I’m gonna try to get around his face and get to that cut,” O’Malley continued. “Dana referring to him as one of the — I don’t remember what he said, one of the stupidest people or beyond stupid. Whatever he said was pretty accurate. I mean, the dude’s just not that smart of a guy.”

    O’Malley will look to inflict that damage, as well as much more, en route to breaking Dvalishvili’s lengthy winning run, both stalling the Georgian’s title ambitions and retaining his place on the bantamweight throne in the process.

  • ONE Muay Thai Champion Jonathan Haggerty Lists Best Strikers In The UFC

    ONE Muay Thai Champion Jonathan Haggerty Lists Best Strikers In The UFC

    Jonathan Haggerty recently revealed his picks for who he believes are the top strikers in the UFC.

    Over the course of UFC history, a multitude of elite strikers have etched their names into the sport’s legacy. Icons like Anderson Silva, Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipović, and José Aldo not only defined their eras but revolutionized the art of striking.

    However, the current generation of fighters has evolved alongside the ever-changing landscape of mixed martial arts, showcasing even more refined and diverse striking repertoires.

    As a reigning ONE bantamweight Muay Thai and kickboxing champion with elite striking prowess, it’s no surprise that Haggerty keeps a close eye on the sport. His expertise gives him a sharp understanding of the top fighters in the world’s premier MMA organization, making his opinions on striking particularly insightful…

    Haggerty Says Strikers Are Best Suited For UFC Championships

    During a recent interview with talkSPORT MMA, Haggerty was asked to share who he believes are the most elite strikers to ever grace the UFC Octagon. “The General” wasted no time in naming former middleweight king Israel Adesanya, former strawweight champion Joanna Jędrzejczyk, and former flyweight titleholder Valentina Shevchenko, alongside a list of other accomplished UFC champions.

    “I think the strikers are mainly all the champions,” Haggerty said. “I quite like Adesanya. Joanna Jędrzejczyk, she was great. Valentina Shevchenko, she was an amazing fighter. Alex Pereira, you know, he’s very lethal. I think being a stand-up striker, all the fights start on their feet, so we get the head start, really. I think Sean O’Malley’s there as well.”

    He also went on to say that if he had to choose one MMA champion across promotions who he’d like to challenge for the belt, it would be UFC’s bantamweight king O’Malley.

    However, “The General” did mention that he is very happy at ONE Championship, where he is preparing to defend his bantamweight Muay Thai title in a highly anticipated showdown against the current ONE flyweight kickboxing champion, Superlek, in the main event of ONE 168: Denver this weekend.

    Haggerty is riding the momentum of an impressive seven-fight win streak, with his only two setbacks in his ONE Championship career coming at the hands of the formidable Rodtang Jitmuangnon.

  • Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Coach Doesn’t Consider Sean O’Malley ‘A Huge Star Yet’ To Sell More PPVs Than Canelo

    Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Coach Doesn’t Consider Sean O’Malley ‘A Huge Star Yet’ To Sell More PPVs Than Canelo

    Sean O’Malley will defend his UFC bantamweight championship against Merab Dvalishvili on September 14, 2024. Riyadh Season Noche UFC is the most expensive UFC event ever and it’ll go toe-to-toe with a boxing event featuring Canelo Álvarez vs. Edgar Berlanga.

    While UFC 306 is booked for the Las Vegas Sphere, Álvarez will defend one of his super middleweight titles against Berlanga at the T-Mobile Arena. The date and timings of the boxing and MMA bouts will clash, and fans can’t help but anticipate which event will be a bigger commercial success.

    According to Khabib Nurmagomedov’s coach, O’Malley won’t be able to outsell Álvarez in PPV terms despite the UFC calling its event a celebration of Mexican heritage…

    Javier Mendez Blames Prices And Sean O’Malley Not Being As Popular As Conor McGregor For Underwhelming Noche UFC Sales

    Nurmagomedov’s coach discussed whether O’Malley is a big enough draw to compete with Álvarez directly on the Javier Mendez Podcast recently. He outright highlighted the boxer’s massive following in Mexico and how “Suga” is yet to achieve Conor McGregor’s levels of stardom.

    “That’s mexican’s day for pay-per-view, it’s always been that way for as long as I remember. And Canelo being the biggest superstar in Mexico fighting on that night, I think on a pay-per-view level, it’s going to be difficult to compete. On top of that, if you look at the prices.”

    The Mexican Independence Day is September 16, and unsurprisingly, sporting events around the date have usually been headlined by the most popular Mexican athletes. Mendez called Álvarez the biggest star in Mexico and predicted that his fight could generate more revenue than Riyadh Season Noche UFC.

    Mendez didn’t put all the blame on O’Malley, though. Despite the recent price drop, the cheapest tickets for Riyadh Season Noche UFC cost over $700. In contrast, the cheapest tickets to Canelo vs. Berlanga are $400 at the time of writing.

    According to Nurmagomedov’s coach, unless someone’s a huge MMA fan, they would consider watching one of the biggest names in boxing history for a lesser price.

    “I don’t think that O’Malley’s a huge star yet. I think he can be, and I, but I don’t think he’s Conor-ish. I don’t think he’s, honestly speaking, where he needs to be yet. I mean, he’s got all the charismatic personality. He’s got the fighting style. But I just don’t think he has that he has that, the people that can propel him into that next level.”

    Mendez admitted that “Suga” has the personality and fighting style to be a much bigger star in the future. However, he’s more interested in the winner of the UFC 306 main event defending their belt against Umar Nurmagomedov, who potentially secured a title shot by defeating Cory Sandhagen recently.

    As of now, around 1,700 Riyadh Season Noche UFC tickets remain to be sold and Dana White expects a sell-out and a record $21 million gate.

  • Merab Dvalishvili Told To Borrow From Pedro Munhoz’s Approach Against ‘Suga’: ‘Let O’Malley Make The Mistakes…’

    Merab Dvalishvili Told To Borrow From Pedro Munhoz’s Approach Against ‘Suga’: ‘Let O’Malley Make The Mistakes…’

    A lot of fans are going to be tuning into the main event of UFC 306 expecting Merab Dvalishvili to come out and fight with a very high work rate.

    The bantamweight contender is one of the best fighters in the sport when it comes to weaponizing his conditioning, especially over five rounds.

    His grappling and relentless output is sure to be a difficult problem for the sniper-like striking of Sean O’Malley but Dvalishvili’s teammate has a different option in mind.

    The former bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling pointed to one of O’Malley’s past fights as a good example of how the opposite strategy can be effective against “Suga”.

    Aljamain Sterling Points Out How Pedro Munhoz Had Success Against Sean O’Malley By Letting Him Go First

    O’Malley’s best skillset is far and above his counter-striking, as we saw in his title defense against Marlon Vera and his bantamweight title win over Sterling.

    On that night at UFC 292, “Funkmaster” made a mistake in trying to press the action and was caught during his takedown entry.

    In a recent interview with Jake Noecker for Home of Fight, Sterling spoke out about how being reserved so that you aren’t giving the counter-striker many opportunities to land shots or make reads, could be an option for his long-time friend and training partner.

    He pointed to O’Malley’s fight against Pedro Munhoz at UFC 276 as a good example of this.

    Though the fight was declared a no-contest in the second round after Munhoz couldn’t continue from an eye poke, he won the opening stanza on two of the three scorecards by fighting with a much more calculated and controlled approach.

    “I think it’s gonna come down to a patience game. I think if Merab implements the same game plan that I used in the first round, just make it a slow fight, let O’Malley be the one to make mistakes. He’s used to people chasing him and he’s a very good counter fighter so don’t give him what he needs which is what the game plan was in our fight.

    “So just speaking to Merab, letting him know those are his keys to victory. You watch his fight with Pedro Munhoz, it’s a very slow paced fight, not much happens if you don’t give him what he wants and I think anyone who’s an analyst in the sport knows what he’s good at, knows what he needs to have to have success. You take those tools away from him then he doesn’t really, I don’t want to say he doesn’t really have much but we haven’t seen that side of him. Having to be the aggressor when his opponent is not hurt.”

    Read also: Sean O’Malley’s Coach On Henry Cejudo: ‘Thinks He’s God’s Gift…’ 

  • Merab Dvalishvili’s Coach On Approach To Avoid Against Sean O’Malley: ‘That’s How We’re Gonna Get Knocked Out’

    Merab Dvalishvili’s Coach On Approach To Avoid Against Sean O’Malley: ‘That’s How We’re Gonna Get Knocked Out’

    Merab Dvalishvili has won ten consecutive UFC fights to find himself as the number one contender in the bantamweight division.

    In many of his signature wins over the likes of Henry Cejudo, José Aldo and Petr Yan, it has been his relentless cardio and grappling game that usually sees him dominate opponents.

    Though the Georgian fighter has shown a willingness to test his striking skills rather than constantly chaining together his takedown attempts, he has been hurt several times whilst standing with other contenders.

    While it is important for Dvalishvili to not be too one dimensional in his upcoming title fight with Sean O’Malley at UFC 306, his coach is also very aware that this is where they have the best chance of winning this fight.

    John Wood Says It’s Important For Merab Dvalishvili To Use His Grappling Skill Set At UFC 306

    O’Malley and Dvalishvili are far too accomplished as overall mixed martial arts to refer to this fight as entirely a striker vs grappler match-up, but it’s clear that they do their best work in the respective ranges.

    This is something that was stressed by John Wood in a recent interview with Red Corner MMA, where he spoke about Dvalishvili’s preparations.

    He isn’t going to be training his fighter to neglect his striking skills but at the same time, he knows that if they aren’t looking to use their grappling whenever they can, they’re making it an easier night for the champion on September 14.

    “I never want to overlook what got Merab to the dance, what brought Merab into this title fight and we have to try to keep those things in check and not lose ourselves. ‘Oh we have to go learn traditional boxing, we have to learn striking, we have to do these things to compete with O’Malley,’ because that’s how we’re going to get knocked out. Merab is a crazy man we just have to make him a technical crazy man.”

    Read also: Coach On Sean O’Malley Not Defending Title Against Umar Nurmagomedov: “If ‘Suga’ Just Faceplants Merab & Drops A ‘Hendo’ Bomb…”

  • Coach On Sean O’Malley Not Defending Title Against Umar Nurmagomedov: “If ‘Suga’ Just Faceplants Merab & Drops A ‘Hendo’ Bomb…”

    Coach On Sean O’Malley Not Defending Title Against Umar Nurmagomedov: “If ‘Suga’ Just Faceplants Merab & Drops A ‘Hendo’ Bomb…”

    Following his win over Cory Sandhagen at the start of August, Umar Nurmagomedov would appear to be the next in line to challenge for the bantamweight title.

    Sean O’Malley will be defending the belt against Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 306 while Nurmagomedov watches on to see how it plays out.

    The only thing that could potentially stop the undefeated contender from getting his shot is if there is the potential to put on a massive fight between UFC champions.

    O’Malley has spoken in the past about wanting to challenge himself at featherweight and though Dvalishvili presents a very serious threat, “Suga” has big plans.

    The current champion has spoken about wanting to face Nurmagomedov but a super fight against the winner of the featherweight title fight at UFC 308 could be a now-or-never opportunity for O’Malley and the promotion.

    Tim Welch Says Super Fight Could Be Next For Sean O’Malley Under The Right Circumstances

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoNd4U5WNok&t=623s

    In a recent interview with James Lynch for Bodog Canada, O’Malley’s head coach Tim Welch gave his thoughts on Nurmagomedov being the next contender.

    Welch believes that taking on the cousin of the great Khabib Nurmagomedov will be their next challenge unless the main events of UFC 306 and UFC 308 end in emphatic fashion.

    He thinks that the UFC could strike while the iron is hot if both O’Malley and either Ilia Topuria or Max Holloway is able to put in a statement performance before going on to face each other, leaving Nurmagomedov to wait a bit longer for his chance.

    Welch referenced Dan Henderson’s iconic knockout of Michael Bisping at UFC 100 to make the case for this fight being put together if there is enough buzz.

    “I think we’ll see how it goes and if Ilia, maybe if Max knocks out Ilia or Ilia knocks out Max cold and then ‘Suga’ just face plants Merab and drops a ‘Hendo’ bomb on him at the end and it’s just spectacular knock outs, I don’t think Dana and those guys would be opposed to make a super fight.”

    Read also: Sean O’Malley’s Coach On Henry Cejudo: ‘Thinks He’s God’s Gift…’ 

  • Sean O’Malley’s Coach On Henry Cejudo: ‘Thinks He’s God’s Gift…’ 

    Sean O’Malley’s Coach On Henry Cejudo: ‘Thinks He’s God’s Gift…’ 

    Suffice to say, UFC Bantamweight Champion Sean O’Malley and his team haven’t sought the aid of Henry Cejudo ahead of their upcoming showdown with Merab Dvalishvili…

    O’Malley is set to make his second defense of the title later this month inside the unique surroundings of the Sphere in Las Vegas, where he’ll headline the second edition of Noche UFC six months on from his five-round beatdown of Marlon “Chito” Vera.

    Next looking to unseat “Sugar” is Dvalishvili, an in-form Georgian who has won 10 straight to earn his long-awaited first opportunity at UFC gold.

    “The Machine’s” path to the top has included memorable performances against the likes of Marlon Moraes and Petr Yan, but he perhaps saved his best for last when he squared off against a former simultaneous two-division champ at UFC 298 this past February. Dvalishvili collided with Cejudo on the main card in Anaheim, further stalling “Triple C’s” pursuit of regaining the belt with a comfortable victory on the scorecards.

    While that left Cejudo with 15 minutes experience of what the Georgian contender brings to the Octagon, O’Malley’s team doesn’t believe he could offer them any advice of value in the lead-up to September 14.

    O’Malley’s Coach Not Interested In Tips From Ex-Dvalishvili Opponent Cejudo

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoNd4U5WNok

    During a recent interview for Bodog Canada, coach Tim Welch looked ahead to his man’s second assignment of 2024, which is currently set to see O’Malley’s challenger make the walk as the favorite.

    But while Welch and co. no doubt have plenty of ways in mind to combat Dvalishvili’s perceived edge in certain realms, picking the brain of an ex-bantamweight and flyweight titleholder, Fight Ready coach, and former opponent of the Georgian’s is not one of them.

    “I don’t know if that (talking to Cejudo) would help,” Welch said. “Everyone I’ve talked to that tried to talk to Henry, even coaches, they have a tough time working with Henry because he thinks he’s god’s gift to this green Earth, and you can’t teach him nothing, and his way is the way. But clearly it’s not, because Merab ragdolled him. So that’s definitely not the guy we want tips from.”

    O’Malley will look to do a better job at stifling Dvalishvili’s offense than Cejudo did come fight night at Las Vegas’ Sphere in less than two weeks’ time.

    The pair’s bantamweight championship clash will top a lineup that also includes another title bout, with flyweight queen Alexa Grasso and all-time great Valentina Shevchenko set to complete their trilogy in the co-main event.

  • Aljamain Sterling Accuses Sean O’Malley Of Being Given The ‘Jake Paul Route’ By The UFC: ‘Stacking The Deck Against His Opponent’

    Aljamain Sterling Accuses Sean O’Malley Of Being Given The ‘Jake Paul Route’ By The UFC: ‘Stacking The Deck Against His Opponent’

    Aljamain Sterling believes that UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley has had assistance from the promotion to help build him into a star.

    Though “Suga” still has to beat the opponents that are put in front of him, and has done so in spectacular fashion, his former opponent thinks that this has been aided to some degree.

    The previous titleholder compared O’Malley’s run in the bantamweight division to Jake Paul’s career in boxing, where at a face level, he’s delivering inside the ring by producing huge fights and big knockouts.

    Where a lot of people have issues with Paul’s victories is where the odds are heavily weighted in his favor by things like weight discrepancies and big differentials in both activity and experience.

    Aljamain Sterling Says UFC Always Planned To Talk Him Into Quick Turnaround For Sean O’Malley Title Defense

    Sterling recently appeared on the Verse Us podcast with Xtreme Couture head coach Eric Nicksick where he spoke about O’Malley’s upcoming title defense against his friend and training partner, Merab Dvalishvili.

    “Funkmaster” used his own experiences of fighting “Suga” at UFC 292 to explain why he believes there is a comparison that can be made to “The Problem Child”.

    Sterling says that not only was O’Malley fast-tracked into a title shot, he was made to defend his belt against the returning Henry Cejudo first and claims that the promotion were always going to push him towards making a quick turnaround for UFC 292, which would hinder his preparations and recovery.

    The current featherweight contender, who is back in action at UFC 307, has been very outspoken about this decision and how he was eventually talked into fighting O’Malley in Boston shortly after beating Cejudo.

    “I want to see the best of the best compete, no excuses. Now, enter O’Malley, he fights one ranked guy, gets a title shot, split decision albeit and this is not me hating, this is just calling a spade a spade. He’s supposed to fight me next which would give me enough time to prepare but instead, they say, ‘Oh Cejudo’s coming back, we want you to fight him.’ In the back of their mind, they’re like whoever wins this, we’re gonna turn them around for August.

    “So he knows all this, I’m pretty sure he knows all this and only O’Malley can disclose all this. Or at least, the UFC knew for sure that this is what they wanted to do. Give him the best opportunity that they could to become a world champion by hindering and stacking the deck against his opponent. It’s like the Jake Paul route. Stacking the deck so that you get these highlights or you get these favorable match ups and these wins to look as good as you do.”

    Read also: Sean O’Malley’s Coach Calls Merab Dvalishvili ‘Scary’ But Highlights Major Flaw In His Game: ‘Too Close To The Fight Now To Fix’

  • Sean O’Malley’s Coach Calls Merab Dvalishvili ‘Scary’ But Highlights Major Flaw In His Game: ‘Too Close To The Fight Now To Fix’

    Sean O’Malley’s Coach Calls Merab Dvalishvili ‘Scary’ But Highlights Major Flaw In His Game: ‘Too Close To The Fight Now To Fix’

    Sean O’Malley and Merab Dvalishvili will fight for the UFC bantamweight championship on September 14, 2024, at the Sphere, Nevada. While the champion is already one of the most popular MMA fighters out there, Dvalishvili has all the hype around him due to his ten-fight win streak in the UFC.

    Both O’Malley and Dvalishvili have defeated former UFC bantamweight champ Petr Yan. “Suga” knocked out Aljamain Sterling for the title after that win, while “The Machine” defeated another former champ Henry Cejudo.

    Despite their evenly matched resumes and countering fighting styles, Tim Welch has explained why O’Malley will defeat Dvalishvili at Riyadh Season Noche UFC…

    Tim Welch Reveals Why It Is Hard To Train For Sean O’Malley And What Makes Merab Dvalishvili An Intimidating Opponent

    O’Malley’s coach Welch reviewed Dvalishvili’s latest training footage and other antics on his official YouTube channel recently. He pointed out that “The Machine” is a tough opponent due to his relentless pace, level changes, and cardio.

    However, he could not help but notice how Dvalishvili can be hit while shooting for takedowns. On top of that, he loses balance when he punches going forward making him extremely vulnerable against an accurate striker like O’Malley.

    “Loses balance a little bit on the punches. Falls forward and that’s something that definitely could get him in trouble here and it’s too close to the fight now to fix. Really lunging in here, throwing the overhand right, bringing his back foot with him which is another thing that could get you in trouble. You saw it with Aljo.”

    Welch believes that “The Machine” cannot improve his balance in the coming weeks, and the UFC bantamweight champion will capitalize on it. The Sterling fight is a good example of “Suga” catching opponents as they lunge towards him.

    According to the coach, it is hard to find training partners who can properly replicate O’Malley’s style during sparring. This should be another key factor in the favor of the champ.

    “I’m thankful that I’m not having to be a trainer training someone against sugar because it would just be so hard to find sparring partners that can do anything remotely close to him. And then you find sparring partners that try to mimic him. They do their best at mimicking him.”

    Although Welch is confident about O’Malley winning via knockout, he explained why Dvalishvili is not an easy opponent at all. He breathes through his mouth for long durations without any impact on his pace. He can take quite a few shots as well so “Suga” must be prepared for the challenger forcing takedowns on him.

    “Merab doesn’t even like, control his breath. He doesn’t even think about controlling his breath. He just, he’ll just breathe in, he’ll be mouth breathing the whole time and he’ll be able to keep up the pace. That’s one thing that’s scary about him. He’ll be able to just keep up the pace the whole time. Just at that, frantic breathing, frantic pace, that’s one of the things that make him really dangerous.”

  • Sean O’Malley Feels Defeating Coach Khabib Nurmagomedov Would Be All-Time Career Highlight: ‘It Would Be Hard To Top That…’

    Sean O’Malley Feels Defeating Coach Khabib Nurmagomedov Would Be All-Time Career Highlight: ‘It Would Be Hard To Top That…’

    Should Sean O’Malley successfully defend his bantamweight title against Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 306, another big fight awaits the champion.

    Umar Nurmagomedov will look to become the second fighter in his family to win UFC gold following his win over Cory Sandhagen.

    Alongside the fact that it’s a great clash of styles, this fight is huge because of Umar’s family bond with the great Khabib Nurmagomedov.

    The former UFC lightweight champion is sure to be in his corner for that fight and that’s something that adds extra incentive for “Suga”.

    Getting the chance to test himself against one of the best minds in the sport makes this one even more significant for his legacy.

    Sean O’Malley Says Even Two-Weight Success Would Struggle To Top Going Up Against Umar & Khabib Nurmagomedov

    Having Khabib in the mix with his cousin is going to make the fight feel bigger and that suits O’Malley well if it does end up happening.

    Since retiring from MMA with his undefeated record intact, “The Eagle” has earned a phenomenal reputation as a coach and cornerman.

    In many ways, he stepped into the role that was left behind after his father, Abdulmanap, passed away.

    O’Malley spoke in a recent interview with Red Corner MMA about how getting the chance to go up against this Nurmagomedov family team would be a career-high moment for him.

    “I never really thought about it but just kind of off the top of my head right now if I think about it, that would be cool. Khabib’s a legend, 29-0 and very disciplined, serious guy which would make it even more fun.

    “It’d be hard to top that, like I guess beating Ilia or Max after that, like there’s guys you could top that with but it’d be hard to get too excited for. I don’t know, I’m thinking out loud right now. It would be cool.”

    Read also: Sean O’Malley ‘Annoyed-ish’ At Noche UFC Fight Promotion After Getting Nod To Headline Over Holloway vs. Topuria, Conor McGregor

  • Sean O’Malley ‘Annoyed-ish’ At Noche UFC Fight Promotion After Getting Nod To Headline Over Holloway vs. Topuria, Conor McGregor

    Sean O’Malley ‘Annoyed-ish’ At Noche UFC Fight Promotion After Getting Nod To Headline Over Holloway vs. Topuria, Conor McGregor

    Sean O’Malley will defend his UFC bantamweight championship against Merab Dvalishvili at Riyadh Season Noche UFC in the Las Vegas Sphere on September 14, 2024. The event will celebrate Mexican Independence Day and UFC CEO Dana White has promised unprecedented production quality.

    With a spectacular win at The Sphere, O’Malley can significantly boost his popularity in MMA circles and draw new fans. However, his opponent has won ten consecutive fights in the UFC with relentless pressure and dominant wrestling.

    Amidst the gradually increasing hype for his next fight, “Suga” revealed his mixed feelings about headlining a massive card like UFC 306…

    Sean O’Malley Expects The UFC To Promote His Fight, Not Just The Sphere In The Lead-Up To UFC 306

    O’Malley talked about the opportunity to headline a card as massive as UFC 306 on Michael Bisping’s Believe You Me podcast recently. With UFC 305 done and dusted, the UFC bantamweight champ acknowledges that Riyadh Season Noche UFC will soon get all the eyes.

    “I’m very excited. Now that it’s like, you know, the last fight, the pay-per-view is last weekend so now it’s, you know, it’s always the next pay-per-view, that’s being talked about so now that that fight’s over, we got The Sphere coming up.”

    “Suga” realizes his fight with Dvalishvili is the UFC 306 main event over Ilia Topuria vs. Max Holloway, now scheduled for UFC 308. Conor McGregor was also rumored to be added to the card. He’s naturally honored to get this chance from the UFC but expects the promotions to improve as the event approaches.

    O’Malley highlighted that the UFC has promoted The Sphere and the event’s theme more than the fighters, including him and Dvalishvili. However, he looks forward to things getting better once promotion on social media begins.

    “A little annoyed-ish about the promotion of The Sphere. The Sphere is the show. I’m the one doing interviews, not The Sphere. Let’s promote Sean vs. Merab, the Suga show. I’m the one fighting let’s go baby. But, you know, it is what it is. The Sphere is going to be f*****g legendary, it’ll be epic, it’ll be cool. But yeah I think these next few weeks are really going to, you know, things are still going to start coming out. ESPN Will start posting, UFC will Start Posting. So, it’s going to feel big soon.

    “Suga” leaves no opportunity to take sly digs at his opponents through funny skits and memes on social media platforms. He’s also fulfilling his media responsibilities as a UFC champion, which explains his aforementioned expectations from the promotion.

  • Former UFC Champ Backs Dana White On Merab Dvalishvili Revealing His Cut Ahead Of Sean O’Malley Fight: ‘Not Everything Needs To Go On Social Media!’

    Former UFC Champ Backs Dana White On Merab Dvalishvili Revealing His Cut Ahead Of Sean O’Malley Fight: ‘Not Everything Needs To Go On Social Media!’

    In arguably the biggest fight of his career, Merab Dvalishvili will challenge Sean O’Malley for the UFC bantamweight championship. The bout will headline the Riyadh Season Noche UFC event at the Las Vegas Sphere on September 14, 2024.

    While O’Malley avenged his only MMA loss to Marlon Vera in his first title defense, Dvalishvili is riding a 10-fight win streak in the UFC. The contender holds wins over big names like Marlon Moraes, José Aldo, and Petr Yan. This explains the hype behind the bantamweight title bout.

    However, the main event was temporarily in jeopardy as Dvalishvili revealed a cut under his eye. UFC President Dana White wasn’t happy about the situation, and Michael Bisping couldn’t agree more…

    Michael Bisping Explains Why Merab Dvalishvili Shouldn’t Have Posted His Cut Before Sean O’Malley Fight

    Bisping discussed Dvalishvili’s injury on his official YouTube channel recently. He highlighted that fighters now usually post most of their life on social media to increase engagement with fans. Naturally, this wasn’t the case a couple of decades back, and being silent about injuries during camps was preferred.

    “Dana’s right when he talks about boxers. Of course, he’s probably talking about the boxers of his generation. Dana knows a lot about boxing as well as mixed martial arts of course. Back in the day, social media wasn’t a thing. The new generation, though, they live on social media. Your entire life is on social media”

    The former UFC middleweight champ then explained why White was right in being upset with Dvalishvili’s behavior. For starters, a crisp striker like “Suga” can easily target the cut and make “The Machine” bleed early on in the fight.

    “I tell you what, if I was fighting for a main event against Sean O’Malley to become the UFC champion of the world, and I got cut, I would not post it on social media. I’m not talking s**t on Merab. I think Merab is awesome, he’s a great guy, he’s an incredible fighter. The performance against Cejudo solidified that he is the next man in line, but not everything needs to go on social media!”

    Bisping also looked back at major injuries he sustained before some of his biggest UFC fights. He had stitches near his eye before the first fight with Luke Rockhold and infamously broke his ribs a week before the Georges St-Pierre fight. “The Count” kept these injuries secret and expects modern-day UFC fighters to follow suit.

  • What’s Next After UFC 305? Full Confirmed Noche UFC Main Card For The Sphere On September 14

    What’s Next After UFC 305? Full Confirmed Noche UFC Main Card For The Sphere On September 14

    UFC 305 is in the books, meaning attention will soon turn to the mixed martial arts leader’s next pay-per-view offering.

    The promotion was in Perth, Australia, last week, where the RAC Arena played host to a number of intriguing matchups for its latest visit Down Under. Of note were victories for UFC Middleweight Champion Dricus Du Plessis, former interim flyweight title challenger Kai Kara-France, and lightweight fan favorite Dan Hooker.

    While the aftermath of the August 17 card is currently the talk of the town, it won’t be long until focus sways to the next PPV, and from the middleweight title picture to the bantamweight and women’s flyweight championship conversations.

    At Noche UFC (UFC 306), an event set to celebrate Mexican Independance Day inside the Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada, on September 14, reigning 135-pound kingpin Sean O’Malley will compete for the second time this year. After defeating Marlon Vera, “Sugar” will make his second defense of the gold in a long-awaited grudge match against top contender Merab Dvalishvili.

    There will also be title stakes in the co-headliner, as flyweight queen Alexa Grasso completes her trilogy with the legendary Valentina Shevchenko. The pair previously fought to a draw at the first installment of Noche UFC last September and have since coached opposite one another on The Ultimate Fighter.

    Ortega & Lopes Among Those Setting The Stage For Title Headliners At UFC 30

    Before O’Malley defends his championship and the promotion’s top female flyweights run it back again, a mix of veterans and prospects will take to the Octagon looking to make the most of their positions on the major card.

    That includes former two-time featherweight title challenger Brian Ortega and the up-and-coming Diego Lopes, who will give their matchup a second chance at making it to the Octagon. After a same-day withdrawal from “T-City” saw the Mexico-residing Brazilian face and defeat Dan Ige at International Fight Week instead, Lopes will have the opportunity to crack the top five in rearranged clash with Ortega.

    Prior to that, highly touted Mexican prospects Daniel Zellhuber and Ronaldo Rodriguez will open the main card against Esteban Ribovics and Ode’ Osbourne, respectively, while notable names like Irena Aldana and Raul Rosas Jr. will feature on the prelims.

    See below for the full UFC 306 card, as it stands.

    Main Card:

    • Sean O’Malley (C) vs. Merab Dvalishvili (bantamweight championship main event)
    • Alexa Grasso (C) vs. Valentina Shevchenko (flyweight championship co-main event)
    • Brian Ortega vs. Diego Lopes (featherweight)
    • Daniel Zellhuber vs. Estaban Ribovics (lightweight)
    • Ronaldo Rodriguez vs. Ode’ Osbourne (flyweight)

    Preliminary Card:

    • Manuel Torres vs. Ignacio Bahamondes (lightweight)
    • Irena Aldana vs. Norma Dumont (women’s bantamweight)
    • Edgar Cháirez vs. Kevin Borjas (flyweight)
    • Yazmin Jauregui vs. Ketlen Souza (women’s strawweight)
    • Raul Rosas Jr. vs. Aoriqileng (bantamweight)
    Diego Lopes
    Image: UFC.com
  • Sean O’Malley Talks UFC 305 Main Event, ‘Coin Flip’ Prediction For Du Plessis’ Next Fight

    Sean O’Malley Talks UFC 305 Main Event, ‘Coin Flip’ Prediction For Du Plessis’ Next Fight

    Dricus Du Plessis retained his middleweight title at UFC 305 by submitting former champion Israel Adesanya in a back-and-forth encounter.

    Though he was able to secure the tap in the fourth round, it was the striking from “Stillknocks” that led to the finish.

    His unorthodox and sometimes reckless approach to moving through ranges whilst looking to land big punches found a home and hurt “The Last Stylebender” which was the beginning of the end.

    On his YouTube channel, bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley gave his immediate reaction to the main event where he highlighted Du Plessis’ blitz assault and gave props to both men.

    “DDP has some funny a** like blitzes that just looks so sloppy and weird but he connects somehow and they’re heavy f****** punches and Izzy did look good. He looked like he was in good shape, defended that good takedown a few times. Like he said, he made a few small little mistakes. I mean I thought he was winning a decision, close fight. DDP showed why he’s the champ.”

    Sean O’Malley Believes Dricus Du Plessis vs Sean Strickland 2 Will Be Another Close Fight

    In the aftermath of this past weekend’s event in Perth, it appears that the next time Du Plessis will be back inside the Octagon will be for his first rematch in the UFC.

    The South African champion won the title by defeating Sean Strickland earlier this year in a split decision, that the American passionately believes he should have gotten.

    O’Malley gave his thoughts on that fight having already seen how difficult it was to separate them at UFC 297.

    “Sean Strickland is fighting the winner, we already knew that. DDP versus Sean Strickland 2, the first fight was very, very, very close, could have gave it to Sean Strickland. He was the champion at the time and I feel like if you’re going to beat the champ in a split decision, it’s got to be more dominant than that so that was a very, very close fight, that’s going to be a fun one to run back.”

    “Suga” went on to say that he believes this particular match-up is won or lost by who performs better on that night due to their styles.

    “I think those guys can fight 10 times, it’s a coin flip every time. I don’t think it’s going to be f****** one guy is going to dominate. Those two styles are just going to be whoever shows up better on that night.”

    Read also: Dana White Reacts To UFC Fighters Brawling At PFL Event With Jibe At The Rival Promotion

  • Sean O’Malley On Umar Nurmagomedov Being ‘Ashamed’ He Is Champion: ‘One Way I Can Become Bigger Than Conor…’

    Sean O’Malley On Umar Nurmagomedov Being ‘Ashamed’ He Is Champion: ‘One Way I Can Become Bigger Than Conor…’

    Sean O’Malley recently fired back at Umar Nurmagomedov, who expressed being “ashamed” of O’Malley as the UFC bantamweight champion.

    Nurmagomedov earned an impressive unanimous decision win over Cory Sandhagen in the main event of UFC Fight Night Abu Dhabi last weekend, catapulting himself near the top of the division and potentially solidifying his status as the #1 contender.

    The undefeated Dagestani’s victory potentially positions him as the ideal challenger for “Sugar,” but this matchup hinges on whether O’Malley successfully defends his title against Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 306 on September 14.

    Nurmagomedov is aiming to challenge O’Malley for the belt, hoping the American remains the champion by then. However, he hasn’t held back his criticism, previously labeling O’Malley as a negative influence on the younger generation.

    O’Malley is intrigued by Nurmagomedov as a potential challenge, but there might be an even stronger incentive for him to defeat the rising prospect…

    O’Malley Aims To Beat Nurmagomedov To ‘Sting’ Conor McGregor

    During a recent video on his YouTube channel, O’Malley discussed the potential of fighting Nurmagomedov in the future. His coach, Tim Welch, asked “Sugar” if he could knock out the Dagestani. O’Malley admitted that Nurmagomedov would be a challenging opponent but expressed confidence in his ability to succeed, pointing to his knockout of Aljamain Sterling.

    “I could chin anybody in the division,” O’Malley said. “Umar is a tough fight. I thought Aljo [Sterling] was the toughest fight in the division for me at the time, and I knocked him out. I think Umar is probably one of the toughest challenges in the division.”

    “Sugar” further remarked that a potential bout against Nurmagomedov could become one of the biggest fights in UFC history, and such a high-profile clash would surely drive Conor McGregor wild.

    “I think it makes it an interesting match, but O’Malley vs. Nurmagomedov could be one way I become, you know, bigger than Conor, like I’ve claimed I’ve wanted to be. If I do what he couldn’t do—beat a Nurmagomedov, take away the ‘O’—that would really sting him. He’s already mad at me, jealous, but this would really sting him.”

    “The Notorious” has a storied history with the Nurmagomedov family, highlighted by his intense rivalry with Khabib Nurmagomedov. This feud culminated in a dramatic showdown at UFC 229 in 2018, where McGregor suffered a fourth-round submission loss.

    O’Malley has recently set his sights on McGregor as a potential opponent, a surprising turn given their previous admiration for each other, which has now devolved into animosity. This shift followed a series of fiery exchanges on social media.

    Defeating a member of the Nurmagomedov family—an achievement that eluded McGregor—could be O’Malley’s way of getting the last laugh at his former idol.

  • Daniel Cormier Explains Why Sean O’Malley ‘Might Feel Better’ About Fighting Umar Nurmagomedov After His Latest Win

    Daniel Cormier Explains Why Sean O’Malley ‘Might Feel Better’ About Fighting Umar Nurmagomedov After His Latest Win

    Former two-division UFC champion Daniel Cormier believes Umar Nurmagomedov’s latest performance might have made Sean O’Malley breathe a little easier on the bantamweight throne.

    Nurmagomedov kept his unblemished professional and UFC records intact at this past weekend’s UFC Fight Night in Abu Dhabi, where he got the better of Cory Sandhagen in his maiden main event on MMA’s biggest stage.

    The Dagestani utilized his relentless grappling pressure and strong striking to get the better of the ex-interim title challenger and high-ranked contender across five rounds of action inside the Etihad Arena.

    The result saw Nurmagomedov rewarded with a sizable climb up the bantamweight pecking order to #2, leaving him behind only upcoming title challenger Merab Dvalishvili in the rankings. With that in mind, the Russian has staked his claim for a shot at the winner of O’Malley’s next defense at the Sphere this fall.

    And while Nurmagomedov and some others have suggested the champ will be keen to avoid the undefeated 28-year-old, Cormier isn’t sure that’s the case following his latest display…

    Cormier: O’Malley Has Seen Someone ‘Counter’ Nurmagomedov’s Skills

    During the latest episode of his Good Guy / Bad Guy show alongside Chael Sonnen on ESPN MMA’s YouTube channel, Cormier reflected on Nurmagomedov’s sixth Octagon triumph and assessed what it could mean for O’Malley.

    “DC” stated that, while unsuccessful in his pursuit of a win, Sandhagen somewhat laid out a blueprint for dealing with Nurmagomedov’s ground game. That, Cormier says, could leave “Sugar” more confident in his chances against the Dagestani.

    “If I’m Sean O’Malley and I watched last weekend, Chael, I might feel a little better because now I finally saw someone actually counter these skills of Umar Nurmagomedov in terms of the ground fighting,” Cormier said. “Now, dealing with him on the feet is a whole another issue. But if you can fight on the feet, as Sean O’Malley can, you’d think you have a chance.”

    Before potentially adjusting his focus to Nurmagomedov, O’Malley must stall the title hopes of Dvalishvili at UFC 306/Noche UFC at the Sphere on September 14.

    And even beyond that, O’Malley has suggested the Russian isn’t set in stone as his next fight just yet. The champ has also pointed to the recently victorious Deiveson Figueiredo as a potential challenger, in addition to reiterating his featherweight ambitions.

  • Demetrious Johnson Discusses Bantamweight Title Picture After UFC Fight Night Abu Dhabi: ‘Can’t Wait To See All Three Of These Guys Lock Horns…’

    Demetrious Johnson Discusses Bantamweight Title Picture After UFC Fight Night Abu Dhabi: ‘Can’t Wait To See All Three Of These Guys Lock Horns…’

    In the main event of this past weekend’s UFC Fight Night in Abu Dhabi, a new top bantamweight contender emerged.

    Umar Nurmagomedov was able to leapfrog the majority of the top ten at 135-pounds by defeating Cory Sandhagen over five rounds.

    Many have expected for a long time that Nurmagomedov just needed the opportunity to show that he was an elite level talent and that finally happened him for on Saturday night.

    With Sean O’Malley set to defend the bantamweight title in the main event of UFC 306 next month against Merab Dvalishvili, the shadow of a new contender looms overhead and makes for some exciting options.

    Demetrious Johnson Says He’s Excited To See Umar Nurmagomedov Face Sean O’Malley & Merab Dvalishvili

    In his review of the main event, former UFC and current ONE Championship flyweight king Demetrious Johnson said that he’s excited to see how this division plays out in the coming months.

    He was left very impressed by Nurmagomedov’s performance and believes that he should be the next in line to face the winner of the upcoming title fight.

    “Mighty Mouse” spoke about how either option of O’Malley or Dvalishvili taking on Nurmagomedov in a title defense makes for an engaging match-up.

    Whichever way it ends up unfolding, Johnson is excited to now have another name in the mix at the top end of bantamweight.

    “I like him [Nurmagomedov] taking him [O’Malley] to the ground, I don’t think he’ll be able to get Merab down, I’m not sure. But, I think this match-up, whoever wins this one fighting Umar, I think it’s the right thing to do and I can’t wait to see all three of these guys get the opportunity to lock horns each other or one of them fights the other one.”

    Read also: Javier Mendez Chooses Between Khabib & Umar Nurmagomedov In Striking, Grappling, Mental Toughness, & Chin

  • Sean O’Malley Puts Umar Nurmagomedov Among ‘Lot Of Options’ For Future Opponent: ‘Max, Ilia, Figgy…’

    Sean O’Malley Puts Umar Nurmagomedov Among ‘Lot Of Options’ For Future Opponent: ‘Max, Ilia, Figgy…’

    UFC Bantamweight Champion Sean O’Malley doesn’t believe Umar Nurmagomedov is set in stone as his next opponent should he get the better of Merab Dvalishvili this fall.

    Nurmagomedov kept his undefeated record intact at this past weekend’s UFC Fight Night in Abu Dhabi by recording the biggest win of his career to date. The Dagestani got the better of Cory Sandhagen in what marked his maiden main event on the sport’s biggest stage.

    Against the former interim title challenger and longtime top-five contender, Nurmagomedov secured a convincing victory on the judges’ scorecards, showcasing his striking and a relentless grappling pursuit in spite of Sandhagen’s strong defense.

    Having added “The Sandman” to his ever-growing résumé, the 28-year-old staked his claim for a first title shot and is widely expected to challenge whoever emerges from O’Malley and Merab Dvalishvili’s championship clash at the Sphere this September with the gold in their possession.

    The current champ, however, doesn’t think that is a certainty…

    O’Malley: Nurmagomedov Not Definitely Next After Dvalishvili Defense

    During the latest episode of his TimboSugarShow, O’Malley reflected on Nurmagomedov’s statement-making performance in the Middle East and assessed whether a clash with the Russian lies in his future.

    While many have concluded that Nurmagomedov is next in line after Dvalishvili, “Sugar” dismissed that as a cemented plan, instead pointing to Deiveson Figueiredo — who got the better of Marlon Vera this past weekend — as a possible challenger and reiterating his featherweight ambitions.

    “It’s an interesting matchup, O’Malley vs. Nurmagomedov,” O’Malley said. “Figgy beat ‘Chito’ on the same card. Figgy called me out. That could be next. I don’t know. Max (Holloway) vs. Ilia (Topuria) is coming up; I would love an opportunity to go up to ’45.

    “Max, Ilia, Nurmagomedov, Figgy; I’ve got a lot of options,” O’Malley continued. “I feel like I’ll be able to make a callout. Obviously, last fight I beat ‘Chito,’ called out Ilia, didn’t get that fight. So just because you win, doesn’t mean you’re gonna be able to pick. But if I got out there and flatline Merab, I feel like that callout would mean something. It depends what happens. … Maybe Umar and Figgy fight.”

    Nurmagomedov has previously accused the champ of looking to avoid him, branding his prediction of another withdrawal from the Sandhagen matchup as wishful thinking from an O’Malley who doesn’t like his chances against him.

    “Sugar’s” latest remarks will likely only increase those claims from Nurmagomedov, who now sits behind only Dvalishvili in the UFC bantamweight rankings following his exploits inside the Octagon this past weekend.

  • UFC Rankings Report: Belal Muhammad Jumps Sean O’Malley On Pound-For-Pound List

    UFC Rankings Report: Belal Muhammad Jumps Sean O’Malley On Pound-For-Pound List

    As always, the latest action on offer inside the Octagon has seen some climb the ladder toward contention and others fall away.

    And in the aftermath of UFC Fight Night: Cory Sandhagen vs. Umar Nurmagomedov, MMA News has you covered with this week’s updates to the official UFC rankings.

    Men’s Pound-For-Pound: A week after entering the P4P rankings at #6, Belal Muhammad has had another boost. The welterweight champion has now moved above his bantamweight counterpart, Sean O’Malley (#6), to occupy the #5 position.

    Women’s Pound-for-Pound: Bantamweight queen Raquel Pennington is expected to defend her title for the first time opposite ex-champ Julianna Peña this fall. And the pair now sit on the same step of the pound-for-pound rankings, with “Rocky” joining “The Venezuelan Vixen” to share #5.

    Women’s Strawweight: Mackenzie Dern bounced back from a two-fight skid on Saturday, but she’s still fallen further at 115 pounds. The Brazilian jiu-jitsu ace has dropped one place to #8, with her compatriot Amanda Ribas moving up to #7.

    Women’s Flyweight: While on the rise at strawweight, Ribas has taken a hit at 125 pounds, slipping one spot to #10 below Viviane Araújo (#9).

    Women’s Bantamweight: At 135 pounds, Miesha Tate and Norma Dumont have both been boosted to #8, leaving a three-way tie for the position with Karol Rosa.

    Flyweight: No changes.

    Bantamweight: Umar Nurmagomedov secured the biggest win of his young career to date in Abu Dhabi, outpointing the highly ranked Cory Sandhagen across five rounds. As a result, the Dagestani has climbed a mammoth eight places to #2. “The Sandman,” meanwhile has remained in the top five after a one-spot drop to #4.

    Also on the rise at 135 pounds is Deiveson Figueiredo (#5), who secured a top-five position with his comfortable victory over former title challenger Marlon Vera this past weekend.

    Featherweight: At 145 pounds, Movsar Evloev is down one step to #6, no longer sharing the #5 place with Arnold Allen. Further down, Bryce Mitchell has moved up to share #12 with Diego Lopes.

    Lightweight: Despite having his return announced for 170 pounds at UFC 308 later this year, former champ Rafael dos Anjos has received a boost at 155 pounds. He’s climbed to #13, swapping positions with Jalin Turner (#14).

    Welterweight: No changes.

    Middleweight: No changes.

    Light Heavyweight: He’s had to wait a while but Roman Dolidze is finally ranked in two weight classes following his triumph over Anthony Smith at UFC 303. The Georgian has arrived at 205 pounds in the #15 position, three spots below “Lionheart.”

    Elsewhere in the division, Azamat Murzakanov is knocking on the door of the top 10 after climbing three spots to #11 courtesy of his knockout win over Alonzo Menifield on August 3.

    Heavyweight: No changes.

    You can view the full updated UFC rankings here.

  • Sean O’Malley’s Coach Talks Souring Of Relationship With Conor McGregor: ‘Before Going To The Arena, We’d Put On Conor Highlights…’

    Sean O’Malley’s Coach Talks Souring Of Relationship With Conor McGregor: ‘Before Going To The Arena, We’d Put On Conor Highlights…’

    Sean O’Malley’s coach, Tim Welch, recently affirmed that despite their fallout, they still hold Conor McGregor in high regard.

    For years, McGregor and O’Malley have shared a good rappot with one another. However, recent months have seen this camaraderie deteriorate as the two UFC stars find themselves entangled in a growing feud on social media.

    It all began in May, when “The Notorious” erupted on social media, launching a tirade against boxer Ryan Garcia after he tested positive for the banned substance ostarine following his victory over Devin Haney.

    In the midst of his outburst, McGregor took a swipe at O’Malley, lumping him together with Garcia due to the reigning UFC bantamweight champion’s own positive test for ostarine back in 2019.

    There was a time when “Suga” revered and emulated McGregor, even seemingly adopting his flashy persona from the iconic Irishman. However, after “The Notorious” took jabs at him, that admiration seems to have faded. Last month, O’Malley unleashed a scathing critique of his former idol’s fighting skills in a series of blistering social media posts.

    However, Welch maintains that regardless of the current discord, he and O’Malley still deeply respect McGregor, recognizing the significant legacy he has left in the realm of MMA…

    Welch Finds Friction With McGregor ‘A Little Weird’

    During a recent interview with Submission Radio, Welch shared his perspective on the ongoing social media rift between O’Malley and McGregor. The MMA coach revealed that “Suga” used to be McGregor’s biggest admirer, and now witnessing their camaraderie diminish feels surreal to him.

    “I mean, we still respect him. Literally, Sean was his number one fan,” Welch said. “Before going to the arena, we’d put on Conor highlights because he’s been in so many high-pressure moments. He’s good at staying calm, he’s good at staying present, and he’s a good finisher. So yeah, we have respect for him, but it’s definitely a little weird.”

    Welch further commented on the hypothetical matchup with “The Notorious” that O’Malley had previously mentioned, stating that it would be a formidable challenge for his protégé.

    “The only way it’d be possible is if they fought at 155 pounds, and I mean, that’s a scary fight. Conor is huge, he’s explosive, he’s quick, and he’s got good reaction time. But right now, Sean is in his prime. His confidence is so high, he switches stances, and his fight IQ is so high. So to say there’s no way we’d win that fight is stupid. There are definitely ways we could win it, but obviously, it’s a dangerous fight. He’s huge for Sean.”

  • UFC Commentator Heaps Praise On Umar Nurmagomedov: ‘He’ll Be Favorite Against Sean Or Merab’

    UFC Commentator Heaps Praise On Umar Nurmagomedov: ‘He’ll Be Favorite Against Sean Or Merab’

    The biggest fight of Umar Nurmagomedov’s career led to his most impressive performance to date in the main event this past weekend.

    There’s been hype surrounding him for a long time now but in an opponent like Cory Sandhagen, he was facing his most skilled, dangerous, and experienced opponent.

    Nurmagomedov got his hand raised at the end of five rounds in Abu Dhabi and could have leapfrogged the rest of the division with this win.

    He may have been holding the #11-ranking in the division but the writing has been on the wall for some time now in terms of his ranking not reflecting his ability.

    UFC commentator Jon Anik believes that even with Sandhagen being his first big win, he would expect Nurmagomedov to be a betting favorite over the two men that are set to fight over the bantamweight title next month.

    Jon Anik Believes That Umar Nurmagomedov Will Be A Betting Favorite When He Fights For The Title

    In a recent interview with Submission Radio, Anik was asked about Nurmagomedov’s win and who he thinks he will end up fighting for the bantamweight title which is set to be contested between Sean O’Malley and Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 306, in September.

    The UFC commentator didn’t pick a winner in that fight for obvious reasons, but he did say that Nurmagomedov could be the oddsmakers pick in either match-up.

    He started by complimenting the undefeated contender both for his skills inside the Octagon and his conduct outside of it.

    “Umar is like one of the most impressive human beings, fighters, that I’ve met in any walk of life. His ability to connect with people in English already is insane relative to what it was like 24 months ago and he’s always banging on himself in terms of his ability to speak English. He’s fantastic. He’ll be favored against Sean or Merab, I feel pretty convicted in saying that. I just don’t think a lot of guys would be able to dominate Cory Sandhagen in that way. With respect to Cory, and my kids distracting me, I gave Umar all five rounds so impressed doesn’t even begin to describe it.”

    Judge Mike Bell agreed with Anik’s viewpoint, awarding all five rounds to Nurmagomedov on the scorecards whilst Ben Cartlidge and David Lethaby both gave Sandhagen one of the five.

    Read also: VIDEO: UFC Champ Sean O’Malley Reacts To ‘Close Fight’ Between Umar Nurmagomedov & Cory Sandhagen

  • VIDEO: UFC Champ Sean O’Malley Reacts To ‘Close Fight’ Between Umar Nurmagomedov & Cory Sandhagen

    VIDEO: UFC Champ Sean O’Malley Reacts To ‘Close Fight’ Between Umar Nurmagomedov & Cory Sandhagen

    UFC Bantamweight Champion Sean O’Malley paid close attention as a key matchup in his division went down in Abu Dhabi this past weekend.

    In what was widely branded a title eliminator, top-five contender Cory Sandhagen and undefeated up-and-comer Umar Nurmagomedov collided in Saturday’s UFC Fight Night main event.

    While “The Sandman” was looking to record his fourth straight headline win en route to a second shot at gold, his Dagestani counterpart was hoping to secure his first championship opportunity with his record’s 0 in tact.

    It was ultimately the latter who succeeded, securing three convincing scorecards in his favor after five competitive rounds of action in the Middle East.

    O’Malley Praises Nurmagomedov For Beating ‘One Of The Pound-For-Pound Best’ In Sandhagen

    In a video recently uploaded to his YouTube channel, O’Malley reacted live to the five-round headliner between Sandhagen and Nurmagomedov.

    “Cory’s a f*cking serial killer. … Here we go,” O’Malley said. “Great job by Cory defensively. … I forget Umar is a striker. … Another close round. I’m almost giving these to Umar just ’cause of the takedowns. It’s hard when they’re both so f*cking high level for someone to take control of the fight. … Every time Cory comes forward, Umar’s countering hard.”

    While summarizing the “close” fight, O’Malley praised both men for their efforts and branded their contest “as high level” as possible.

    “Alright, boys, Umar got the job done. Pretty close fight, in my opinion,” O’Malley said. “Cory is, in my opinion, one of the pound-for-pound best guys in the world. For Umar to be ranked #10, a lot of guys didn’t want to fight him…no one in the UFC wanted to fight this guy.

    “Incredible performance, by both guys really,” O’Malley continued. “Cory did a really good job shutting down Umar’s offensive takedowns and wrestling. Striking was pretty close; Umar looked like he landed harder shots. Overall, that’s as high level of a fight as it gets.”

    Following the decision going in favor of Nurmagomedov, O’Malley reacted as the Dagestani called to fight the winner of his upcoming Sphere showdown with Merab Dvalishvili.

    “Me versus Umar next? … Undefeated Umar, 18-0, versus undefeated ‘Sugar Show,’ 19-0. Beat a Dagestani, I wouldn’t mind that. That would be a real good way to get at Conor (McGregor). Imagine how jealous he would be. I might go whoop Umar just for that reason alone.”

    Nurmagomedov wasn’t the only victorious fighter with O’Malley’s name on his lips post-fight in Abu Dhabi. Former two-time flyweight kingpin Deiveson Figueiredo also called for a shot at “Sugar” following his win over Marlon Vera.

    The champ had an expected reaction to that callout…

  • Khabib Names Who He’d Rather Umar Nurmagomedov Fight For The UFC Bantamweight Title Out Of Sean O’Malley & Merab Dvalishvili

    Khabib Names Who He’d Rather Umar Nurmagomedov Fight For The UFC Bantamweight Title Out Of Sean O’Malley & Merab Dvalishvili

    After having his own run in the UFC as a dominant undefeated champion years ago, Khabib Nurmagomedov is now helping to mentor others toward their own reigns. Islam Makhachev already has secured the lightweight title, and now cousin Umar Nurmagomedov may be next.

    Umar secured a clear decision win over Cory Sandhagen in the main event of Saturday’s UFC Fight Night in Abu Dhabi. The bout seemingly served as a bantamweight title eliminator, and “The Young Eagle” is most likely next in line to challenge the winner of the Sean O’Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili title fight that takes place at The Sphere on September 14.

    Following Umar’s win, Khabib Nurmagomedov was asked about his thoughts on who his cousin might have a better matchup with when it comes to claiming the gold. The former lightweight champion says the undefeated up-and-comer will be prepared regardless of who is holding the title.

    That’s not to say he doesn’t have a preference, though…

    Khabib Nurmagomedov Says Cousin Umar Nurmagomedov Is Ready To Be UFC Champion

    “I want Merab to be honest, because he’s from Georgia. [Dagestan and Georgia are] neighbors. I want Merab to win because it’s going to be a very interesting fight. White papakha vs. black papakha. But if O’Malley wins, it’s going to be white papakha vs. pink papakha.

    “He’s going to be good competition for O’Malley. A very good fight, high-level fight for all of the fans all over the world. It’s not easy to beat Umar. And it’s not easy to beat Merab or Sean O’Malley. This is high level. Anything can happen, but in my opinion, Umar is ready.”

    Umar Nurmagomedov is now 6-0 in the UFC (and 18-0 overall) since entering the promotion in 2021.

    O’Malley, meanwhile, won the bantamweight championship by defeating Aljamain Sterling at UFC 292. He retained the title against Marlon “Chito” Vera at UFC 299 in Miami this past March.

    For his part, Dvalishvili has won 10 straight fights, clinching himself a title shot after defeating former champion Henry Cejudo at UFC 298 in February.

  • MMA News Today: Sean O’Malley Criticizes Conor McGregor’s ‘Slow & Sloppy’ Pad Work, Amped Up Belal Muhammad & Alexander Volkanovski Trade Barbs After UFC 304, & More

    MMA News Today: Sean O’Malley Criticizes Conor McGregor’s ‘Slow & Sloppy’ Pad Work, Amped Up Belal Muhammad & Alexander Volkanovski Trade Barbs After UFC 304, & More

    Welcome to MMA News Today, a daily feature running down the most interesting stories in the world of mixed martial arts. For August 2, 2024, we’re taking a look at:

    • O’Malley reviews latest McGregor footage
    • Muhammad and Volkanovski trade words after UFC 304 comments
    • Former strawweight champion set to return at UFC 307

    Sean O’Malley Critiques Conor McGregor’s Latest Pad Work Video On Social Media

    After taking some time to recover from his injury that led to the cancellation of his return at UFC 303, Conor McGregor appears to be getting back to work.

    “The Notorious” is hopeful of returning later this year but he appeared to have taken his foot off the gas once June 29 was ruled out.

    His latest training footage came courtesy of his own social media accounts, with the Irishman seen working on his boxing and hitting pads.

    UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley, who has engaged in some interactions with McGregor as of late, gave his review via a reply to the post.

    McGregor also commented in response, calling for O’Malley to try and do better whilst telling him to “cheer up”.

    Belal Muhammad & Alexander Volkanovski Beef After Pre-Fight Comments

    During a recent episode of Remember The Show, Belal Muhammad hit back at all his fellow fighters that doubted him ahead of UFC 304.

    The new welterweight champion specifically referenced Alexander Volkanovski, who was in attendance this past weekend in Manchester, and suggested that Muhammad would be a good style clash for him.

    “You guys were hating, all these guys wanted to come out. Volkanovski, ‘Man I think Belal’s a good match-up for me if I fight him.’ Shut up bro, I’ll smack the hell out of you. All these guys right, there’s nobody in the UFC that will beat me.”

    Volkanovski responded on social media where he doubled down on his previous statement and told Muhammad to say that to him the next time they cross paths.

    “@bullyb170 you have every reason to hate on what I said about you being a good stylistic match up for me but I truly believe that, even after your last fight, you didn’t show me anything different. You still mad because I accidentally missed your call…pathetic! Say ‘shut up, I’ll smack the shit out of you’ to my face and see what happens.”

    “Remember The Name” had the final word on the matter in a follow-up post with a short and to the point message.

    Carla Esparza Set To Return At UFC 307 In Utah Against Former Foe

    Former UFC strawweight champion Carla Esparza is expected to return for the first time since losing her title to Weili Zhang in November of 2022.

    She took the majority of 2023 and 2024 off after giving birth to her son and is now targeted to compete in a rematch at UFC 307 on October 5.

    Esparza and Tecia Pennington first met back on The Ultimate Fighter a decade ago with “Cookie Monster” getting the nod in that quarterfinal clash before going on to win the series.

    MMA Junkie’s Nolan King reported the fight which will see both women look to return to the win column for the first time in several years.

    Read more on the story here.

    For more MMA news, check out:

  • Marlon ‘Chito’ Vera Gives Props To Sean O’Malley, Talks Viral Knee: ‘Really Kinda Shocked Me…’

    Marlon ‘Chito’ Vera Gives Props To Sean O’Malley, Talks Viral Knee: ‘Really Kinda Shocked Me…’

    Marlon “Chito” Vera returns this weekend in Abu Dhabi where he looks to get back to winning ways in the bantamweight division.

    Vera faces a tough test in former flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo but he has all the motivation he needs after how his last fight went.

    The challenger was unable to really put his stamp on his 135-pound title fight with Sean O’Malley at UFC 299, where he was beaten convincingly over the five round contest.

    His toughness was enough to keep him in the fight but even that was tested at several points by some sniper-like striking from “Suga”.

    One strike, in particular, stole the show in March after O’Malley landed a knee that sounded even worse than it looked.

    Marlon Vera Says A Punch In The Fifth Round Hurt More Than Viral Knee

    Before he makes the walk once again this weekend, Vera reflected on his last fight and some of the damage that he took.

    It says a lot about his heart and durability that he was able to make it to the final bell with many finding it hard to believe that he continued to fight on after that knee strike landed in the second round.

    Vera spoke during his media day interview about what was going through his mind at that moment and how much damage the knee actually caused.

    “Just to make a comparison, the punch in the fifth round that land perfectly on my eye, it wasn’t an eye poke but it felt like one, hurt me a million times more. Like I was fully blind, I was like, ‘F***!’ It was a perfect punch, props on him but I mean the knee really like kind of shocked me.

    “I was like, ‘F*** I got clipped with something big,’ and I know it was the knee but I wasn’t like… my legs were there. I was just like, ‘F*** that really hurt,’ In terms of a hit but I would say my brain and my legs were there. I was just like don’t do that again. It was pretty much almost the same knee that I hit Font with.”

    Read also: Marlon Vera Questions Merab Dvalishvili’s Chin Ahead Of Sean O’Malley Title Fight: ‘If You’re Getting Dropped By Cejudo…’