UFC bantamweight Sean O’Malley has given his take on the upcoming UFC 272 main event between former title challengers Colby Covington and Jorge Masvidal.
After Alexander Volkanovski’s trilogy fight with Max Holloway collapsed and his next defense was pushed back to UFC 273, the March pay-per-view was left needing a new headliner. What better replacement than one of the most highly-anticipated grudge matches in the UFC right now?
Both Covington and Masvidal are coming off losses to reigning welterweight king Kamaru Usman. “Gamebred” fell to back-to-back setbacks against the champion at UFC 251 and 261. “Chaos,” meanwhile, failed in his attempts to reach the 170-pound mountaintop at UFC 245 and UFC 268.
Nevertheless, the Miami native had been in fine form before colliding with Usman, securing finishes against Darren Till, Ben Askren, and Nate Diaz in 2019. Rising bantamweight star O’Malley believes Masvidal could return to that level of form when he enters the Octagon with Covington in March.
“Jorge has never really been taken down and just beaten up for 25 minutes, ever in his career,” O’Malley said on an episode of his YouTube podcast. “If anyone was going to do it, you think it would have been Usman. Usman didnât go out there, take him down, and maul him. He did knock him out but I donât know.
“Thatâs a sick fight. I just get a gut feeling right now that Masvidal could definitely piece up Colby if he shuts down the striking or shuts down the takedowns,” added O’Malley. “Colby brings an insane pace, but Masvidal, thatâs going to be such a sick fight. This is the fight Iâm most hyped about out of all the big ones.â (h/t Pundit Arena)
Given Covington’s antics prior to his rematch with Usman, we can expect an even more bitter build-up this time around, especially given the former interim champ’s history with former ATT teammate Masvidal.
How do you see the UFC 272 main event between Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington playing out?
Aljamain Sterling is throwing some shade at Sean O’Malley.
Aljamain Sterling is the bantamweight champion. He is the man all the other bantamweights need to beat if they want to be on top. There is, however, one man who is getting under the skin of the champ, and that man is Sean O’Malley.
Sean O’Malley likes to trash talk. He has begun calling out several different fighters and creating some conflict with many in the division. And recently, he has gained the attention of the champion as well.
Aljamain Sterling is looking at O’Malley as more of an inconvenience at this time than an immediate threat. O’Malley is now in the top 15 of the bantamweight rankings for the first time but has only faced one ranked opponent. That ranked opponent was Chito Vera, and O’Malley did not win that fight. Sterling believes O’Malley wasted that opportunity of fighting Vera when it came around and has since continued fighting handpicked opponents that he never got the chance to face on his way up.
âYou had your shot; you blew it,” Sterling told The MMA Hour. “We all get our opportunities. You had an opportunity, and you blew it. So if you wanna say Paiva is the guy that should give everyone more hype around him again, I donât know, man. The UFC didnât give me those opportunities to fight tailor-made matchups when I came up. My third UFC fight, I fought a guy who was ranked sixth in the world, Takeya Mizugaki. And ever since then, I have not left the UFCâs top 10 of ranked contenders and guys that were within the top 10 and top 5.â
Sterling has had 15 fights in the UFC so far in his career and had 11 wins before he was granted a title shot, and he seized that moment. Although the fight with Petr Yan ended in a DQ for Yan, causing Sterling to walk away with the belt, Sterling is now champion nonetheless. Even as champion though, Sterling is not on the same level of fan favoritism as O’Malley is.
O’Malley has had eight fights in the UFC with only one loss. He is a character outside the cage and puts on a show inside the cage. O’Malley has been criticized for not fighting ranked opponents on his rise up, but now that he sits at number 12, that should all be changing. If Sterling is unhappy with his fast start in the division, he should be happy now that he is the champ and will have the chance to create his own path going forward, starting with a rematch with Yan later this year.
Do you think Sterling was rushed along his path faster than O’Malley is?
Sean O’Malley understands why he recently came under fire from Aljamain Sterling for comments he made about the UFC bantamweight champion’s rematch with Petr Yan not being a main event.
The Montana native said he understands why the champ took offense to his words, especially given the way his champion status has been discredited because of the way he won the belt last March.
“When I said I’m surprised that Petr and Aljo can’t main event (on) their own, I was saying that like, I’m genuinely surprised the UFC doesn’t just have them (headline). It’s a main event in the most stacked division in the UFC,” said O’Malley. “And he (Sterling) took that as an offensive comment, which I get. But then he also agreed. He’s like, ‘blah, blah, blah… but he’s right.’
“So I was saying it like, I’m surprised they don’t just main event (UFC 272). They could, 100%. Would it do crazy numbers? No, but they could be its own main event, that’s what I was saying, and he did not like that,” added O’Malley. “He got offended and started going off. But he also agreed. He’s like, ‘Yeah well, they would have to build a big card around (us),’ which means put me on the card. But I get it. It would be frustrating to be the champ and not be respected as the champ, and the way he won; I get it. I like Aljo, he seems like a good dude.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CYLfci5rx4x/
While it may not have main event status, the second clash between champion Sterling and interim titleholder Yan is sure to bring heat and fireworks during fight week and fight night.
Given that it’ll have been over a year since their first meeting when they collide at UFC 273, it’ll be interesting to see if Sterling has made the necessary adjustments to match Yan inside the Octagon, something he largely failed to do at UFC 259 despite emerging with the title.
Do you agree with Sean O’Malley? Was it surprising that the UFC didn’t bump Sterling vs. Yan 2 to main event status at UFC 272?
UFC Bantamweight Champion Aljamain Sterling has responded to Sean O’Malley’s claim that he and Petr Yan aren’t “big enough” to headline a pay-per-view.
Sterling is finally set to defend the 135-pound strap for the first time since winning it via disqualification last March. He was initially scheduled to face interim titleholder and arch-rival Yan in a unification bout at UFC 272.
After Max Holloway withdrew from his trilogy with Alexander Volkanovski and the featherweight champ’s next defense was pushed back to UFC 273 in April, the bantamweight grudge match went with it.
Despite the bitter rivalry between the two elite 135lbers, which began with Sterling’s title crowning at UFC 259 and picked up when he withdrew from UFC 267 last October, the promotion was seemingly unwilling to have the two bantamweight titleholders main event the March PPV in the absence of Volkanovski’s 145-pound defense, something Yan believes Sterling is firmly at fault for.
In a fashion similar to what we’ve come to expect at 135 pounds, Sterling has now responded to “Sugar,” and he certainly didn’t mince his word.
During an appearance on Ariel Helwani’s The MMA Hour, “Funk Master” told O’Malley that if he wants to keep talking, he needs to fight a “real” contender, something he pointed out didn’t end well for the 27-year-old at UFC 252 in 2020.
âOâMalleyâs gonna do what OâMalley does, which is talk,” said Sterling. “He talks a big game, but we come to find out that heâs a lot of talk, a lot of bark, and no bite. The last time he tried to bite off more than he can chew, what happened? He did the broke-leg danceâŠ
Sean O’Malley (Photo: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa)
âSo OâMalley, if you wanna keep talking like this, step up to the plate and fight somebodyâI donât want to say âgoodââbut fight somebody thatâs a contender, a real contender so we can see how good he really is. Ricky Simonâs been calling him out, Merabâs [Dvalishvili] been calling him out, a lot of guys been calling him outâ[Brian] Kelleherâs been calling him out. Fight somebody, bro. Fight somebody.â
Despite later admitting that O’Malley’s point wasn’t wholly wrong, Sterling claimed it’s on the UFC to create a card with him and Yan at the top worthy of the price tag, rather than relying on one bout to sell it to the fans. The bantamweight champ concluded by suggesting nobody would pay top dollar for just an O’Malley headliner.
âI do think OâMalley had a point in possibly saying that maybe we probably couldnât headline a card by ourselves, but thatâs not on us. Thatâs on the UFC to put together a fight card thatâs worthy of customers to pay a $70 price tag to pay for,” added Sterling. “I think thatâs pretty black and white. You canât just rely on one fight to be the main fight forâI mean, I donât know a lot of people who are gonna pay $70 just to watch one fightâŠ
âIâm pretty sure if it was just Sean OâMalley and a bunch of other guys that are up-and-coming, not really any type of notoriety, people arenât paying $75 to watch Sean OâMalley fight, either. So I donât know what the hell heâs talking about in that regard. So if the UFC puts together a great card with top-10 fights and matchups that mean something, people are gonna pay. So it doesnât really matter whoâs headlining. The UFC is the UFC. If itâs a good fight card, people are gonna pay to tune in to watch it.â
https://www.instagram.com/p/CYLfci5rx4x/
While it may not be a main event, Sterling and Yan are still set to collide on the pay-per-view stage later this year and will look to settle their score for good.
For the New York native, the rematch represents the opportunity for him to legitimize his reign and cement his place on the throne. For the Russian, UFC 273 offers the chance to regain the undisputed title he firmly believes he never should have lost. The build-up is certainly set to be a heated one.
Do you agree with Aljamain Sterling’s response to Sean O’Malley’s comments?
UFC bantamweight contender Sean O’Malley doesn’t believe champion Aljamain Sterling and interim titleholder Petr Yan are “big enough” to headline a pay-per-view.
The much-anticipated rematch between Sterling and Yan, originally scheduled for UFC 267 last October, was set to go down at UFC 272 in March. After they were to unify the bantamweight title in the co-main, Alexander Volkanovski was targeted to defend his featherweight belt against Max Holloway in the main event.
During a recent episode of his YouTube podcast, #12-ranked bantamweight contender Sean O’Malley commented on the adjusted schedule. His takeaway from the decision to move Sterling and Yan’s rematch to UFC 273 was that the pair simply aren’t big enough to headline a pay-per-view.
O’Malley’s solution to the bantamweight division not boasting PPV-headline names? “Big daddy.”
“You know what’s crazy to me? Well, I don’t know if it’s crazy or not. Petr and Aljo can’t main event their own pay-per-view. So their main event [Volkanovski vs. Holloway 3] pulled out. They couldn’t just, ‘Ah, we’ll be main event.’ They’re not big enough. It’s weird. The best division in the UFC, maybe, and they can’t even headline their own pay-per-view. They need big daddy.”
UFC bantamweight contender Sean O’Malley has revealed his ambitions for the near future, which sees focus on a massive 12 months in 2023.
2021 was a big year for O’Malley. Heading into it, “Sugar’ was riding his first professional loss, a TKO defeat at the hands of Marlon “Chito” Vera at UFC 252 in August 2020. In the 17 months since that setback, O’Malley has built a three-fight win streak, recorded three finishes, earned three post-fight $50,000 bonuses, and entered the bantamweight rankings.
After rebounding at UFC 260 last March with a brutal third-round knockout against Thomas Almeida, O’Malley began another streak four months later by stopping promotional newcomer Kris Moutinho at UFC 264.
Closing out his successful and lucrative 2021, the 27-year-old knocked out formerly-ranked Brazilian Raulian Paiva at UFC 269 last month.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CXuGuo5Dtff/
O’Malley Forecasts A Big Year
After a triumphant 2021 and securing his place at #12 on the 135-pound ladder, most have been eagerly anticipating O’Malley’s first appearance of what looked set to be a big 12 months for “Sugar.” However, due to a thumb injury and his desire to fight at a Las Vegas pay-per-view, O’Malley believes he could be on the sidelines until the summer.
With that lesser level of activity, which O’Malley believes could see him fight twice in 2022, the Montana native has targeted 2023 as his big year.
During a recent episode of his YouTube podcast, the rising bantamweight star outlined his goals for the next two years: two fights in 2022, then a lucrative new contract, and a “killing spree” at 135 pounds the following year.
âIdeally, I get three fights in a year. Thatâs kind of where my headâs at. I donât know if itâs (because I want) more money, I think itâs competition. I love competing. But I just want to get back in the game and improve. So if I only get twoâif I get one in July and November, December⊠I might only get two this year, fight out the contract, then boom: 2023, fat f**king contract and go on a killing spree.” (h/t Essentially Sports)
While O’Malley is targeting big things in 2023, there’s no doubt he can still accomplish a lot in two fights across the next 12 months. While his next opponent is seemingly far from being decided, O’Malley has consistently expressed his desire to face fellow surging striker Adrian Yanez.
Sean O’Malley went from trash-talking Cody Garbrandt to now feeling sympathy towards him.
Sean O’Malley is coming off a great win at UFC 269. At that same event, former bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt lost his flyweight fight against Kai Kara-France. Leading up to that UFC 269 event, Garbrandt and O’Malley were trash-talking towards each other, and it seemed like they would like to fight in the future. However, O’Malley’s feelings towards Garbrandt have changed.
“After Cody got knocked out, I got asked at the press conference, ‘What do you wanna say?’ And I just, I feel bad for him,” O’Malley told Michael Bisping on his podcast. “He’s lost a lot of fights in a row, and I don’t really have anything negative to say about him.”
O’Malley has found himself in the top fifteen on that bantamweight rankings for the first time in his UFC career. He has caught heat in the past for not facing ranked opponents, and when he was targeting a former champion in Garbrandt that, might have been his way of proving the haters wrong. Now, Garbrandt is no longer ranked in any division and O’Malley is looking towards other opponent options.
“It’s just tough. I go out there and beat him, I do not see it doing much for me right now… He’s 1-6 or something in his last seven,” O’Malley said. “I think he’s won one fight since 2017. I go out there and beat him, it doesn’t really do what it would’ve three or four fights ago. I go out there and lose to Cody, who’s 1-7 and got knocked out, that does a lot of negative damage towards me. I just don’t think that’s realistically the next fight.”
O’Malley is right about Garbrandt having only won a single fight in his last six. Since losing the bantamweight belt, he has had a hard time inside the Octagon. It is unclear at this time if he will remain at flyweight or revert back to 135 pounds. Either way, it is highly unlikely he will face off against O’Malley next based on these latest comments.
What do you think Cody Garbrandt should do going forward?
UFC Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou has flirted with the idea of boxing against Tyson Fury, but Sean O’Malley doesn’t like his odds.
Ngannou is set to face Ciryl Gane for the unified UFC heavyweight title at UFC 270. It’s been quite the buildup to the fight, featuring his strained relationship with his former coach Fernand Lopez.
After winning his trilogy with Deontay Wilder, Fury is widely expected to face Dillian Whyte next after a mandatory negotiation order. It’s unclear if and when the fight will happen as an official date hasn’t been targeted.
During a recent episode of his podcast, O’Malley explained why he feels Ngannou wouldn’t match up well against Fury.
“Ngannou vs. Fury potential boxing fight. If I’m being real, I’ve seen Ngannou throw [punches] like he doesn’t have a lot of boxing skills,” O’Malley said. “If you see how he throws some of his punches, it’s not like a good one too. It’s not even close [to Fury’s level]. With that being said, he could still catch him. He’s got that much f***ing power. Ngannou’s probably got more power than Wilder I’d say⊠So if they’re in a boxing ring, Francis is so big and terrifying but Tyson Fury would probably piece him up.”
After the negotiations with Whyte stalled, Fury and Ngannou have gone at it on social media for a potential crossover fight. Ngannou, who has long hinted at a move to boxing, has publicly entertained the idea of fighting Fury.
Ngannou has been at odds with the UFC brass for months over an ongoing contract dispute. While UFC President Dana White has expressed recent optimism regarding a new contract for Ngannou, it’s unclear if a deal will get done with one fight left.
O’Malley is arguably one of the best strikers in MMA today and seems to know what he’s talking about when it comes to the boxing aspect of fighting. Ngannou vs. Fury may or may not happen, but O’Malley certainly thinks that Ngannou should stay away from the potential matchup.
How do you think a Tyson Fury vs. Francis Ngannou matchup would play out?
Rising UFC bantamweight contender Sean O’Malley has revealed why he expects to fall short of another three-fight year in 2022.
Whilst not matching the years the likes of Charles Oliveira and Kamaru Usman had inside the Octagon in 2021, O’Malley certainly increased his stock and hype with victories over three unranked opponents
Heading into the year, “Sugar” was looking to rebound from his first loss in professional MMA, a setback that came against Marlon “Chito” Vera in August 2020 at UFC 252. In his first appearance of 2021, O’Malley returned to the win column by brutally knocking out the once-highly-touted prospect Thomas Almeida at UFC 260.
Fast forward four months and the 27-year-old was back on a winning streak. After the withdrawal of Louis Smolka, O’Malley was matched up with promotional newcomer Kris Moutinho at UFC 264. On his way to a third-round TKO triumph, the Montana native put in a record-breaking striking performance.
In his third fight of the year, O’Malley recorded his third finish and secured his third post-fight bonus of 2021. At UFC 269, he knocked out formerly ranked bantamweight Raulian Paiva inside the opening round.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CXuGuo5Dtff/
O’Malley Says Injury Will Likely Prevent Another 3-Fight Year
Since returning from injury and a USADA suspension in 2020, O’Malley has been an active presence in the division, competing six times since March 2020. However, “Sugar” believes his two-year streak of fitting three fights into both 2020 and 2021 will end in 2022.
During a recent interview with Michael Bisping, O’Malley was seen wearing a cast after injuring his thumb in his last outing against Paiva. Despite being set to get the cast off in the coming days, the #12-ranked bantamweight won’t be rushing back into camp, a level of caution he expects to limit his activity to two appearances in the Octagon across the next 12 months.
“The last two years, I’ve gotten three fights in each year. I think that’s kind of a good pace right now. I’m thinking this year, 2022, I really wanna get three fights in, but I don’t wanna force anything. So, you know, this year might only allow for two, just kind of considering where my thumb’s at right now. It’s not bad, I get the cast off next week, but I don’t wanna push or force any training camps or anything.”
With O’Malley admitting he’s unlikely to make the UFC 272 card in March, “Sugar” expects to wait for the next pay-per-view scheduled for Las Vegas before returning.
With UFC 273 set for New York and rumors that UFC 274 could signal the promotion’s return to Brazil, fans may be waiting until early summer before seeing O’Malley back inside the cage.
Who would you like to see Sean O’Malley face next?
Sean O’Malley doesn’t think the PPV price increase is a good idea.
Recently, the UFC announced that they will be raising the price of ordering a Pay-Per-View event in the new year. The prices will increase from $69.99 to $74.99 beginning with UFC 270 on Jan. 22. Expectedly, this news has been unwelcomed by fans. The displeasure now has trickled down to some athletes. Among those against the price bump is Sean O’Malley.
âDana White raises pay-per-view by five dollars,â OâMalley said on a recent episode of his podcast (via BJ Penn). âWhat the hell are we doing here, Dana?â
Also, when asked if he thought the increase will be reflected in the paychecks of fighters, O’Malley was not so sure.
“No, I doubt it,â OâMalley said. âBut, could be. It is just so easy to stream it illegally. Not talking from experience, but just saying it. Whoever is in control of legal streams at the UFC, they need someone that is good enough at hacking (them) right before the main event starts. Every single time that they just shut it right before the good stuff.â
In recent years the UFC was been actively trying to stop the illegal streaming of their events. The crackdown of social media posts and streams began with White issuing a threat of police action to anyone caught streaming illegally. O’Malley thinks of himself as one of the top earners for the UFC, so it will be interesting to see if a potential rise in illegal streaming has any impact on O’Malley’s bottom line or that of his peers.
Do you think the price increase is too much, or is it reasonable to expect a hike up each year?
UFC heavyweight contender Tai Tuivasa fought at the same event as rising bantamweight star Sean O’Malley twice in 2021, a trend he hopes continues this year.
Like O’Malley, Tuivasa has been in fine form as of late. He’s built a destructive four-fight win streak that has seen him climb to within one spot of the top 10 at heavyweight.
Since a submission loss to Sergey Spivak in 2019 added a third straight loss to his skid, “Bam Bam” has knocked out Stefan Struve, Harry Hunsucker, Greg Hardy, and Augusto Sakai.
Tuivasa’s other 2021 win, a first-round KO against Greg Hardy at UFC 264, provided another memorable moment inside Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena, with members of the crowd pouring their beers into their shoes and either chugging it themselves, or giving it to a victorious Tuivasa as he made his way to the back.
As well as two knockouts and two Octagon shoeys, another constant for Tuivasa’s 2021 was the presence of fellow entertainer Sean O’Malley. Like the Australian heavyweight, “Sugar” recorded triumphs at both UFC 264 and UFC 269.
“Yeah, me and Sean, we talk, and it’s good that we’ve been fighting on the same card the last few times,” Tuivasa told Ariel Helwani on a recent edition of The MMA Hour. “Like I say, he’s a showman as well, so it’s good we’re on the same card. We give the fans what they want.”
With their performances last year, both men achieved an impressive 100% bonus record. Out of their five combined appearances, The UFC dished out an additional $250,000. They’ll be hoping for similar success in 2022, and if they believe in lucky charms, both men will be pushing to be on the same card given their results in 2021.
Unless O’Malley is booked swiftly, Tuivasa will be making his first 2022 appearance on a card that will not feature “The Suga Show.” That is because, as of yesterday, it was revealed that Tuivasa will be facing another showman, Derrick “The Black Beast” Lewis at UFC 271 next month.
Would you like to see Sean O’Malley and Tai Tuivasa fighting on the same card again this year?
Sean O’Malley understands why some fighters aren’t getting the money they’d like.
The UFC’s fighter pay has been a hot topic for quite some time. Recently, it’s gained more traction since Jake Paul has called out UFC President Dana White multiple times about how he and the company underpay their fighters.
While each fighter has their own opinion, it seems as though many fighters stand by Paul’s opinions in thinking that they are underpaid. Some fighters get paid as little as $10,000 to $30,000 while a select few make around or a little north of $500,000 per fight.
#12-ranked bantamweight Sean O’Malley addressed the topic yesterday on his YouTube channel during his most recent episode of TimboSugarShow. O’Malley seems to support White based on the numbers.
“Dude, like I don’t even blame Dana. It’s like some of these f*cking people have zero following. They’re not making the UFC one hundred thousand. I mean, they’re not making the UFC fifty thousand. They’re not making the UFC any money really. But that’s from a business perspective, from Dana’s business perspective, I can see that,” said O’Malley.
Jake Paul, on the other hand, thinks fighters are underpaid, they don’t receive the right medical attention, and that the fighter’s minimum should be increased. Paul made a proposal to Dana White that he’d retire from the sport of boxing if was granted permission from the UFC to box Jorge Masvidal. In the proposal, White would pay his fighters $50,000 minimum per fight, 50% revenue for the first five years, and long-term healthcare.
At the end of the day, the UFC is a business and operates as such. They would probably agree with O’Malley’s take in regards to how the majority of the fighters don’t generate that much revenue for the company.
Do you think fighters are currently underpaid in the UFC?
Recently, O’Malley spoke out about the call out he received from the former bantamweight champion and why now is not the right time for him to accept a bout with Garbrandt.
âDude, Cody (Garbrandt) wantsâheâs not getting that fight (with me),â OâMalley said on his podcast, The TimboSugarShow. âWhen he said it, you could see in his voice (sic), âOh, I want, uhâ â but that fightâs not happening. It doesnât make sense for him to say that. I wonder if thatâs CTE. Heâs been knocked out five (four) times in the last two years (five years). That fights not happening, at least, not next. He needs to â it just doesnât make sense, dude. It just literally doesnât make sense.â
Garbrandt expressed interest in O’Malley following his failed flyweight debut at UFC 269. Since bantamweight seems like the next logical option for Garbrandt, maybe O’Malley could be an interesting choice.
Despite O’Malley saying he is no longer interested, he has been looking for a ranked opponent to face. His recent win over Raulian Paiva put him in the top fifteen for the first time in his career. Garbrandt is no longer ranked at bantamweight since he dropped to 125 pounds, but he could very well find himself back there with one fight at 135 pounds.
O’Malley is very popular and has been called out by several fighters following his last win. If he is not interested in Garbrandt anymore, he should have no trouble finding a ranked fighter to face next.
Who would you like to see Sean O’Malley face next?
UFC bantamweight Sean O’Malley has responded to Marlon Vera after “Chito” criticized a video of “Sugar” giving out money to strangers.
O’Malley and Vera’s feud has been well-documented across the past year-and-a-half. The rivalry began when they met inside the Octagon at UFC 252 in August 2020. Inside the opening round, the Ecuadorian handed O’Malley his first professional MMA loss.
But while many praised the #12-ranked bantamweight for passing on $100 to other individuals who were perhaps in more need of it than him, “Chito” had a different view. Taking to Twitter, he branded O’Malley a “piece of shit” for recording the good deed.
“U don’t need a camera guy to help people. you piece of shit,” he tweeted.
O’Malley Fires Back
As you’d expect, O’Malley has since responded to his foe’s comments. In a recent episode of his podcast, the Montana native slammed Vera, suggesting he wouldn’t have given the same charitable donations back to the community as he has.
O’Malley added that Vera showed his true colors by speaking out against his video and insisted he still felt good about his money-giving venture despite his fellow ranked bantamweight’s opinion.
“Giving out money. Some people didn’t like it,” O’Malley said. “This one guy (Vera) tweeted something like, ‘You can give money out, you don’t need a cameraman,’ something stupid… He said camera guy, I’m like, well, first of all, it’s my sister, she’s a girl, don’t be sexist. Girls can record videos, too. Some people have no respect.
“‘I thought it was pretty fun. I enjoyed it. I had a good feeling in my heart, giving money to those people. Most of them were like, ‘Oh my god, dude, I needed this.’ I still feel like a good person… It doesn’t matter what someone thinks. I think he got a lot of hate for it. I’m like, ‘Dude, you look like an idiot. Why would you say that? I’m helping people.’ I guarantee I gave more to my people than he ever has. My people, random people, there’s just no way he’s done that… Super weird. I think it just shows true colors.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CX14GhFvzUG/
Since his setback against Vera, O’Malley has been back to his best. With three victories in 2021, “Sugar” recorded three finishes, earned three post-fight bonuses, and broke into the bantamweight top 15.
With “Chito” on a similar run having beaten Davey Grant and Frankie Edgar, it seems we could be seeing the pair run it back sooner rather than later. O’Malley has previously claimed the rematch is inevitable, and as both continue rising the ranks, it’s hard to imagine them not meeting in the cage again.
Do you think Marlon Vera was wrong to criticize Sean O’Malley’s charitable video?
Ranked bantamweight Ricky Simon thinks Sean OâMalley doesnât want to face him despite a recent call-out.
Simon has expressed interest before in facing OâMalley. He likes the idea of the matchup, as âpeople want to see him tested against a wrestler,â and he also believes he has the striking to go along with it.
With that being said, Simon has given up hope on getting a fight against OâMalley. In a recent interview with MMA Fighting, Simon was asked how good of a chance he thought he has of getting a fight against OâMalley. Here’s how he responded.
âI donât think thereâs a very good chance ⊠I donât think he wants to fight. I said his name after the interview, said everything, then he goes and tweets to [Adrian] Yanez. So Iâm moving on.”
Simon Doesn’t Understand Why O’Malley Got Ranked Over Him
Image Credit: Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Simon is currently sitting right next to OâMalley on UFCâs official rankings, giving further justification for booking the two. However, this ranking puzzles Simon, who doesnât understand why the rankings are that way.
Simon expected his recent victory over Raphael Assuncao to make him enter the rankings at #12. But in the end, it was OâMalley who took that spot, leaving Simon down at rank #13.
âI beat the #12-ranked guy in the world and they moved him to #12 ⊠I know thereâs a lot that kind of goes into [the rankings], but it just feels like someone was messing with me at that point,â he said.
Are you be interested in ahypothetical fight between Ricky Simon and Sean OâMalley?
With over an hour of conversation, naturally, any other random topic is liable to come up. Such was the case when O’Malley was asked if he has ever had to get violent with a fan or civilian.
According to the rising star, the closest thing to it is when a stranger challenged him to a spar and wound up…well, you read it.
“He didn’t believe that I was a fighter. Tim [Welch] worked at this UFC gym, so they had a ring, and we brought him over there, not in like a mean way, he wanted to fight me, not fight, he wanted to spar. I fucking kicked him in the body and he shit all over the mat. Literally shit all over the mat. But we didn’t know, we kept going, kept fighting; I stepped in it, stepped in his shit. It was horrible.
“I step in it, we finish the round, and then Tim was like, ‘There’s shit,’ and we thought it was by dog, ’cause we recorded the video. I wish we still had it, dude. It was probably seven or eight years ago… In the video you can see, we thought it was my dog, my little dog was there, so I ended up cleaning it up because I thought it was my dog. We watched the video back; you can see the shit come out of his shorts… That was the only time anyone ever kind of wanted to fight me and didn’t believe that I was a fighter.”
We recently ran a story about Khabib Nurmagomedov having a mildly similar incident, where he was prepared to fight an overzealous fan who wouldn’t take no for an answer when requesting a photo. Luckily for the fan and for our readers, there was no violence or feces involved in that incident.
Years have passed since this stomach-turning sparring session, and O’Malley is now a 27-year-old superstar in the making. By the end of the year, O’Malley may find himself with more random incidents with strangers, whether in a gym, at Walmart, or anywhere else the “Suga Show” rolls through.
But most of all, fans are always eager to see The Suga Show featured in an actual MMA fight, which includes a full clean-up crew ready to assist whenever their duties are needed.
Following his entry into the bantamweight rankings, Sean O’Malley has his sights set on fights against a number of UFC legends across the next few years.
O’Malley closed out a perfect 2021 with his third finish in as many pay-per-view fights on the year. The 27-year-old’s impressive year began with a rebound win against once highly-touted Brazilian Thomas Almeida at UFC 260, which followed his first loss in MMA against Marlon Vera in 2020.
Setting himself back on a winning streak, O’Malley succeeded his Almeida triumph with a record-breaking striking performance against promotional newcomer Kris Moutinho at UFC 264. That TKO victory saw O’Malley matched up with the formerly-ranked Raulian Paiva at UFC 269.
In the aftermath of his victory in the UFC 269 main card opener, O’Malley has kept his cards close to his chest in regards to who he’d like to face next. He followed the same attitude during a recent appearance on My Mom’s Basement with Robbie Fox.
The Montana native said he hopes to return to the Octagon in April or May at the latest, but the ‘who’ aspect of that scenario isn’t on his mind right now.
“As far as who’s next, I don’t know, dude. I’m excited right now, to not have a date or an opponent in mind… Right now, I’m not even gonna talk to the UFC about who’s next or what’s next… I’m gonna fight who they offer me, just like they have been… I’d say latest April, maybe May (for my next fight). As far as who, I don’t really care right now. Whoever it is, everyone’s gonna watch.”
Despite not divulging into talk of his immediate future, O’Malley did line up some legends he’s expecting to face within the next couple of years. They include arguably the featherweight GOAT, two former bantamweight champions, and the current interim 135-pound titleholder.
To face those names, O’Malley will have to make a surge for the top 10 in his next outing. Whoever it’s against, “Sugar” can be sure people will watch, especially given the interest his clashes with unranked names had in 2021.
Which top-10 bantamweights would you like to see Sean O’Malley face in the near future?
The colorful bantamweight is a talented prospect in a division full of killers. Besides a loss to Marlon Vera in 2020, OâMalley has looked great in his UFC run. âSugaâ shows solid power and pinpoint accuracy in his bouts.
Yet, as many on the internet will quickly point out, OâMalley hasnât exactly faced the stiffest competition. But that seemed to be neither here nor there, for the flashy fighter recently took to Instagram to proclaim himself the âFighter of the Year.âÂ
https://www.instagram.com/p/CXeN9KAPago/
â2021 fighter of the year. Thanks ??
UFC 260 3rd round KO-Bonus
UFC 264 3rd round KO-Bonus
UFC 269 1st round KO-Bonusâ .
In a later appearance on The Full Send Podcast, O’Malley admitted he was intentionally trying to rile people up by making this claim and gave his nod to Kamaru Usman as the true fighter of the year.
How Does The Suga Show Compare?
Of course, when deciding who should be crowned âFighter of the Year,” one has to dig a bit into the competition faced.
O’Malley fought zero ranked opponents in 2021. Thomas Almeida was on a three-fight losing streak when he met the 27-year-old striker. Chris Moutinho had never fought on the big stage and was brought in as a late replacement, even though multiple UFC-proven fighters offered to step up on short notice for the bout.
OâMalleyâs most recent victim, Raulian Paiva, was on a three-fight win streak, but the undersized bantamweight had bounced between 125lbs. and 135lbs. over the last few years. All in all, it’s easy to see that O’Malley was trolling with his Instagram post.
There are no easy fights in a promotion like the UFC, but there are levels to this stuff. Welterweight champion Kamaru Usman also went 3-0 in 2021. His current run saw him knockout Jorge Masvidal, Gilbert Burns and take a decision over Colby Covington.
Another fighter that comes to mind for his 2021 streak is Charles Oliveira. The lightweight champ overcame adversity in bouts with Michael Chandler and Dustin Poirier to win and then defend his UFC gold.
Rising UFC bantamweight star Sean O’Malley is hoping to make a similarly-sized splash in the business world as Conor McGregor but through a different product.
Despite a relatively short career in the Octagon so far, O’Malley has already grown into one of the most recognized personalities in the UFC. Whether through his eccentric fight week attire, his charisma, his slick striking style, or a combination of them all, fans certainly tune in to see “The Suga Show.”
Since his rise up the bantamweight ladder stalled at the hands of Marlon Vera in 2020, O’Malley has been back to his best. In 2021, “Sugar” went 3-0 with victories over Thomas Almeida, Kris Moutinho, and Raulian Paiva. In the final pay-per-view of the year, the Montana native closed out a perfect 12 months by delivering a highlight-reel knockout against the formerly-ranked Paiva.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CXuGuo5Dtff/
O’Malley Targets Success Inside & Outside The Octagon
But while UFC glory is first and foremost for O’Malley, he’s also looking to make a lucrative impact in the business world.
While he wasn’t the first to mix fighting with other money-making ventures, Conor McGregor has found success doing so like no one before him. From his Proper No. Twelve Irish Whiskey to his McGregor Fast training system, the Irishman has taken new industries by storm and lined his pockets nicely in the process.
Looking to follow in the footsteps of the fighter he described as the only person he’s ever looked up to, O’Malley has his own plans for building a multi-million dollar business empire. But while the bulk of that success came through whiskey for McGregor, “Sugar” is targeting the marijuana scene.
During an appearance on the Full Send Podcast, O’Malley revealed his aspirations and explained why developing his own marijuana strain will be a tough challenge.
“I think the big one, the one that’ll probably be the biggest, hasn’t happened yet. And that’s gonna be a strain, a certain strain, the ‘Sugar strain,’ and it’s getting into that business, like, we’ve tried it a couple times, but it’s tough. There’s a lot of things you’ve gotta figure out; laws, federal laws. The weed game’s tough. I think that’s definitely something I wanna get into. But you have to pick the right people, the right partners.
“I think that’s gonna be similar to the whiskey, Conor’s whiskey. I think that could be my fucking-my $100 million business. We’ve tried to (do it already) and it’s tough… I’m waiting for the right people to come around.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CULbplJLUMR/
O’Malley and McGregor interacted for the first time at a Dallas Cowboys game earlier this year. With the Irishman apparently complimenting the bantamweight’s performance at UFC 264, perhaps he’ll be willing to lend some tips to the rising 27-year-old as he looks to make his mark in both the fighting and business realms.
Do you think Sean O’Malley can emulate the business success of Conor McGregor?
UFC bantamweight contender Sean O’Malley says he doesn’t want to compete in five-round fights unless he is paid very lucratively.
O’Malley is edging ever closer towards main event territory and is arguably already there, mostly due to his charisma and recognizable name. Since a setback against Marlon Vera in 2020 stalled his surge, a defeat that marked his first in the sport, “Sugar” has proved why he’s so highly touted.
In three 2021 contests, O’Malley added three wins to his record, recorded three finishes, and earned three $50,000 bonuses. After a brutal knockout against Thomas Almeida and a record-breaking striking performance opposite Kris Moutinho, O’Malley closed out his perfect year by finishing formerly-ranked Brazilian Raulian Paiva at UFC 269.
O’Malley: “I Don’t Want A Fucking Five-Round Fight”
In the aftermath of O’Malley’s latest victory came a jump into the rankings. With his #12 position on the bantamweight ladder will come an increase in competition, as well as the likelihood of five-round contests. But that’s something “Sugar” is hoping to avoid for the time being.
During an appearance on the Full Send Podcast, O’Malley made his feelings for 25-minute contests clear. For the extra money he’d currently receive for them, he’s not at all interested.
“I don’t want a fucking five-round fight,” O-Malley said. “They’re gonna give me like, $20,000 extra to go fight, basically another fight, 10 minutes. I’m like, ‘I’m not gonna fucking do that.’”
Despite that, O’Malley knows it’s an inevitability, especially if he is to reach the heights in the UFC he has aspirations for. But given the extra preparation needed, the 27-year-old says he’d be after a hefty paycheck to make it happen.
“When I’m champ, yeah. There comes a point, you can’t say no to the UFC, you know what I mean? I’d rather not fight five rounds unless you wanna pay me a fucking lot more money. You know how much more training goes (into it). That was like a 10-week camp (ahead of UFC 269) for 15 minutes. That’s a hard camp. I think, though, with the level of cardio I was in, I could have gone five rounds, just because when you’re in there, you’re not gonna give up, you’re not gonna fall, you’re gonna fight.
“But five rounds, that’s a lot. That’s 25 minutes of fucking fist-fighting. I’d like to be paid, if I’m gonna do that, paid equally. That’s a long time to fucking fight, dude.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CX14GhFvzUG/
Despite his successful 2021, many in the MMA community still doubt O’Malley’s title credentials and ability to compete with the elite at 135 pounds. It stands to reason that idea will be tested in 2022.
Whether against a top-10 opponent or fellow surging striker Adrian Yanez, we’ll likely see “Sugar” tested like he’s never been tested before. Although it’s safe to say we’ll have to wait to see him tested beyond 15 minutes…
Do you agree with Sean O’Malley’s stance on five-round fights?
Boxing royalty Teddy Atlas believes rising UFC bantamweight Sean O’Malley has all the makings of a star in combat sports.
O’Malley has quickly grown into one of the most recognized and talked about names in the world’s premier MMA organization. That’s down to his unique combination of charisma, eccentric appearance, and clear talent once the cage door closes behind him.
Since a defeat to Marlon Vera briefly stalled his surge up the bantamweight ladder, O’Malley has been back to his best. In three 2021 appearances, “Sugar” secured a trio of finishes and a $50,000 bonus to make each one that bit sweeter. After triumphs over Thomas Almeida and Kris Moutinho, O’Malley made his biggest impact at the final pay-per-view of the year.
In the main card opener, the Montana native faced the toughest test since his setback against “Chito,” the formerly-ranked Raulian Paiva. Inside the opening round, O’Malley recorded another highlight-reel knockout and had the crowd inside Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena on their feet.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CX14GhFvzUG/
With his latest Octagon success, O’Malley entered the top 15 at 135 pounds. Now sitting at #12, “The Suga Show” is well and truly on its way in the UFC, something that doesn’t surprise one of the most experienced men in combat sports.
In an interview with The Schmo, Atlas, a renowned boxing trainer, spoke about O’Malley’s rise in the UFC. According to him, the 27-year-old has all the traits and characteristics of a future star.
“He’s got all the makings of a star. Obviously the look, the ‘it’ factor when he gets into the ring; he lights it up. He’s charismatic, he’s smart… He’s got that ‘it’ factor. But he can fight, too… With all that stuff going on, O’Malley can fight.
“We wanna see him tested, of course. But there are special privileges out there, let’s be real. When a guy can bring money in, when a guy can be Conor McGregor, or potentially Conor McGregor, they get a little special privileges, where they can fight, maybe, a little bit of a lighter competition as they’re allowed the build. I think he’s (O’Malley) probably fallen under that category. They wanna use him a little bit, I think, to help the brand again, you know, build UFC like any other brand, like the NFL. Why do they go to Europe? To build the brand.”
Teddy Atlas Cautions O’Malley Against Davis Callout
Sean O’Malley, Gervonta Davis
O’Malley has often been compared to MMA’s biggest superstar Conor McGregor. After becoming a two-division champion in the UFC, the Irishman ventured to the squared circle to take on the undefeated Floyd Mayweather in the sport’s biggest ‘money’ fight.
While some distance away from that level of superstardom and success in MMA, some have suggested O’Malley could be a potential crossover sensation in the future. Th comes at a time when the likes of Tyron Woodley, Vitor Belfort, and Anderson Silva have all laced the gloves in recent months.
UFC Welterweight Champion Kamaru Usman has even called for a clash with Canelo Alvarez, a bout that would mark the first boxing P4P vs. UFC P4P contest. While Atlas acknowledged Usman’s improving striking and immense physicality, he believes a fast and slick fighter on the feet like O’Malley would fare better in-between the ropes.
“Just because he’s (Usman) a strong guy, you gotta be honest, he couldn’t just come in, you know, because he doesn’t have one area where you can say he’s real cute, he’s real elusive. You know who’d have a better shot? In putting him in boxing in a more open way or a more across-the-board way, that he could have some success? O’Malley. Because he’s a bit more like a cutie, you know, where he can be slick. You could put him in with a guy who’s maybe a little slow-footed, a guy that’s not really busy.”
Despite having aspirations of grandeur in the UFC, O’Malley has discussed a potential future in the ring. He even recently called out former multi-weight world champion Gervonta Davis. Although Atlas sees that callout as perhaps a little extreme, he does believe “Sugar” can find success in boxing.
“Listen, Davis isn’t necessarily a seek and destroy guy. He likes to counterpunch, he’s a real smart guy, and everything. But you’re (O’Malley) calling out a guy who’s very dangerous. You make one mistake with him, in a new place, that’s obviously a new realm for him, you make one mistake and you’re not surviving. So that’s a tough callout.
UFC 269: Sean O’Malley vs. Raulian Paiva (Image Credit: Louis Grasse/PxImages)
“But O’Malley, again, could probably pick more guys, because there’s versatility that he could do well in boxing, than you could with Usman. There’s not one area where you could say Usman was real slick, or he’s got a great jab, or he can fight not he inside, so it’d be more problematic finding a guy, even though Usman has incredible physical abilities.”
O’Malley’s boxing credentials could be further tested in his next appearance. The rising contender has called out fellow surging striker Adrian Yanez, whilst also leaving the door open to a clash with Rob Font, a contender well known for his jab.
Whoever O’Malley faces next and in the future, it stands to reason that if he keeps winning, we’ll be seeing him test the waters of the sweet science before his career is out.
Do you agree with Teddy Atlas? Would Sean O’Malley find more success in the ring than Kamaru Usman?
UFC bantamweight contender Sean O’Malley thinks a couple of UFC stars could give Jake Paul issues in the boxing ring.
O’Malley knows a thing or two about boxing, as he’s widely regarded as arguably one of the best boxers in the UFC. He most recently earned a dominant knockout win over Raulian Paiva at UFC 269.
Paul has attracted the attention of many around the MMA community, especially after his knockout over Tyron Woodley. Paul has managed to keep up the MMA vs. boxing narrative with his fights and callouts.
âMasvidal or Kamaru would be the toughest fights for Jake boxing-wise,â O’Malley said.
After his knockout over Woodley, Paul also called out Nate Diaz and Conor McGregor as two potential opponents. Despite O’Malley’s endorsements of Usman and Masvidal to face Paul, he explained the difficulties of negotiating the potential bouts.
âDiaz, Masvidal, Kamaru, that canât even be negotiated,” O’Malley continued. “You cannot negotiate under UFC contract, so those fights will not happen unless Dana really wants to see Jake lose and is very, very confident in one of his fighters, that they can beat him. But even then, I donât know if he would let them fight. I donât know. Weâll see whatâs next. I donât think itâll be anyone on the UFC roster.â
Sean O’Malley, Jake Paul Planning On Big 2022
O’Malley has praised Jake and Logan Paul in the past, going as far as to say he’s felt inspired by watching their career transitions. The Paul brothers have managed to take their large following from content creation into the sport of boxing.
O’Malley and Paul are both on winning streaks to wrap up 2021. Paul is undefeated in his young boxing career, while O’Malley has won three UFC bouts in a row.
O’Malley and Paul are two of the more polarizing young stars in their respective sports, but that hasn’t stopped the two of them from having mutual respect for one another.
Do you think Kamaru Usman or Jorge Masvidal would outbox Jake Paul?
Newly-ranked bantamweight contender Sean O’Malley has criticized comments Joe Rogan made on commentary during his UFC 269 victory over Raulian Paiva.
O’Malley closed out a strong year for “The Suga Show” last weekend at the final pay-per-view of 2021. Having rebounded from his first loss in MMA to Marlon Vera with back-to-back finishes over Thomas Almeida and Kris Moutinho, the 27-year-old aimed to make it three from three against Brazil’s Paiva.
Towards the end of the opening round, O’Malley had the crowd at Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena on their feet after recording yet another knockout finish. A brutal combination against the cage slumped Paiva and forced the referee to step in. The victory ensured O’Malley’s path to the top remained on track and saw him enter the rankings at #13 in the latest update.
Although in high spirits in the aftermath of his latest triumph, O’Malley did take aim at color commentator Daniel Cormier, something that seems to be a weekly occurrence at the moment, with Dominick Cruz and Alexander Volkanovski also recently expressing their disdain at the former two-division UFC champion’s mic work.
But O’Malley has now set his sights on another man at the desk, renowned podcast host, stand-up comedian, and combat sports enthusiast Joe Rogan.
O’Malley Encourages Rogan To “Form A Knowledgeable Opinion”
Sean O’Malley, Joe Rogan
While Rogan is no longer as present in UFC coverage as he used to be, now only covering the US-based pay-per-views (unless he has a hunting trip, of course), many still see his voice as an integral part of big events and he remains a popular figure. That’s the case for O’Malley, who signs off his post-fight interviews with the veteran broadcaster by saying, “I fucking love you Joe Rogan.”
While the love is still there, it’s seemingly been joined by some heavy frustration. Speaking on a recent episode of his TimboSugarShow podcast, O’Malley slammed the commentary team for pushing a narrative that suggested he is susceptible to leg kicks.
“They said, ‘I don’t know why, when you’re going to fight Sean, you don’t throw more leg kicks. He clearly had a problem in the Chito fight with the leg kicks.’ I fight Thomas Almeida, who’s a fucking good kickboxer, who tried kicking my legs… I countered, he landed a couple, I did a couple good things with the leg kicks. Kris Moutinho, who probably kicked my legs more than Thomas, still kicked my legs.”
The idea that O’Malley can be heavily damaged by low kicks came after he suffered a few injuries whilst in the Octagon, including one that led to the only blemish on his record to date. Against “Chito” Vera in 2020, a kick appeared to connect with O’Malley’s peroneal nerve, essentially giving him a case of ‘drop foot’.
Prior to that, O’Malley suffered an injury towards the end of his decision victory over Andre Soukhamthath, leading to the infamous post-fight interview that saw Rogan speak to “Sugar” while he was being tended to on the mat.
Joe Rogan, Sean O’Malley
Despite maintaining the love he has for the UFC mainstay, O’Malley suggested Rogan hadn’t watched his defeat to Vera enough to form a “knowledgeable opinion.”
“You can just say anything on the mic. Everyone knows how much I fucking love Joe Rogan. I say it after my fights… He might have watched that Chito fight one time while he was sitting there and then his opinion is what he saw right there. But dude, he got one kick that hit my nerve… He did land a couple of good leg kicks after that, but I was on one leg and I still pieced him up. If you’re gonna commentate and bring up that fight, every single time I fight, go watch it and form a knowledgeable opinion about it.” (h/t Sportskeeda)
O’Malley’s claim is fairly similar to Cruz’s remarks about “DC.” The former two-time bantamweight titleholder accused Cormier of not watching enough tape and doing enough research to be able to call fights correctly.
But unlike that case, which saw many in the community agree with “The Dominator,” the narrative that O’Malley can be compromised by heavy leg kicks has been pretty prevalent, especially since his setback last year.
Was Joe Rogan wrong to suggest Sean O’Malley is susceptible to leg kicks?
While Sean O’Malley may split opinion among the combat sports community, “Sugar” believes there’s one UFC fighter who certainly does the opposite.
O’Malley’s rise to stardom has been relatively rapid. That’s immediately one reason why a portion of fans dislike the charismatic rising bantamweight. That, coupled with his confident and outgoing personality, means many actively root against the 27-year-old. That was no different when he returned to action earlier this month at UFC 269.
Having rebounded from his first professional MMA loss with back-to-back third-round finishes against Thomas Almeida and Kris Moutinho earlier this year, the Montana native hoped to make it three from three inside a sold-out T-Mobile Arena at the year’s final pay-per-view. In the main card opener, he did just that, brutally knocking Raulian Paiva out before the close of the opening round.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CXXkWUbrtmW/
O’Malley Says Everyone Loves A Bit Of “Bam Bam”
Tai Tuivasa
Having been content facing unranked opposition, “Sugar” will seemingly receive the pay bump he’s been after in the near future and be up against top opposition in 2022. But despite continuing his rise and easily dispatching of Paiva, who many thought would give him trouble, O’Malley certainly still has his fair share of doubters in the community.
According to the 27-year-old, that’s a good thing. During the UFC 269 post-fight press conference, O’Malley was asked whether it frustrates him when fans and pundits pick little things to criticize him about. In his mind, he wouldn’t be the star he is without being disliked by a large portion of the UFC fanbase. He suggested there’s only one man truly loved by everyone, and that’s Tai Tuivasa.
“That means I’m doing it right. If everyone just loved me, then I probably wouldn’t be as big as I am. I think there’s only probably one person that everyone loves and that’s Tai Tuivasa. I think he’s the only one. How could you not like that guy? But for me, I could see how people don’t like me. But I guarantee they watched me tonight. I guarantee they did not turn the TV, they didn’t get up to go to the bathroom, they probably weren’t even eating or drinking. I bet they were locked into that TV when I was fighting.”
Like O’Malley, Tuivasa was also in action at UFC 269. If fans didn’t go for a toilet break during the O’Malley vs. Paiva clash, hopefully, they didn’t do it for the Tuivasa vs. Sakai fight earlier in the night.
Whether it’s the combination of vicious KO power and hilarious ’90’s pop walkouts, or the combination of in-Octagon performance and post-fight shoeys, or all three combined, fans love Tuivasa and the energy and entertainment he brings on fight night.
But as well as being as loved as O’Malley says, “Bam Bam” is also a fast-rising heavyweight with time on his side. At just 28, the Australian has already established himself just outside the top 10 and is riding a four-fight win streak following triumphs over Stefan Struve, Harry Hunsucker, Greg Hardy, and Sakai.
We’ve certainly got many more years of KO’s and cheesy walkout songs in front of us.
Do you agree with Sean O’Malley? Is Tai Tuivasa the one fighter universally loved?
Rising UFC bantamweight star Sean O’Malley doesn’t appear to be fussed about who his first appearance of 2022 will come against.
Talk of O’Malley’s future opponents has intensified following his latest victory inside the Octagon. Having rebounded from his first loss in MMA with stoppage victories over once highly-touted Brazilian Thomas Almeida and tough debutant Kris Moutinho earlier this year, “Sugar” looked to make it three for three in 2021 when he opened the UFC 269 main card opposite Raulian Paiva.
Despite undoubtedly facing a step-up in competition and a formerly-ranked bantamweight, O’Malley looked at his best and finished the Brazilian with a vicious combination shortly before the end of the first round.
Despite that, O’Malley appears open to facing whoever the UFC puts in front of him. During the UFC 269 post-fight press conference, O’Malley was asked whether he still had Yanez on his radar, and while reiterating his targeted March return, the Montana native said he has no one in particular in mind for his next fight.
âI fought three times last year, three times this year. I feel like every day, I just have a fight coming up. So Iâm just gonna enjoy this and try to not book a fight and just enjoy being with my family and my little princess. And Iâm sure Iâll fight in March, April. Who will it be? I donât know. Doesnât really matter. As long as the Suga Show is fighting, I donât really think people care too much who Iâm fighting.â
While a fight with Yanez would certainly provide fireworks and see one man establish themselves as perhaps bantamweight’s hottest prospect, the UFC may choose to build both men up separately. All that said, Yanez does still remain an option for O’Malley as well, as he reiterated on Thursday.
Adrian Yanez, Davey Grant & Adrian Yanez (Image Credit: Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
Given their previous exchanges, many have suggested O’Malley fight Cody Garbrandt next, especially after the former champ’s attempts to succeed as a flyweight took a hit this past weekend. “Sugar” has also made his desire to exact revenge on Marlon Vera known, so perhaps “Chito” could be convinced to fight down the rankings in a PPV slot against O’Malley.
Nevertheless, whoever O’Malley is matched up with next year should provide for an exciting contest and aid the 27-year-old’s rise up the 135-pound ladder.
Whom would you like to see Sean O’Malley face next?
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22711297/1328081432.jpg)
