After successfully defending his championship at UFC 299, Sean O’Malley is already setting his sights on his next opponent, a rising bantamweight contender.
Suga Sean became well-known for his striking abilities while competing on Dana White’s Contender Series. His knack for ending fights in thrilling fashion quickly captured the interest of UFC supporters.
Despite starting his UFC career with five consecutive wins, an unfortunate injury sustained against Chito Vera resulted in the rising star’s first ever loss in MMA.
Following his recovery, O’Malley returned to his dominant form, securing four more knockout wins. This impressive streak included a second-round defeat of Aljamain Sterling at UFC 292, crowning him the bantamweight champion.
As luck would have it, the newly crowned champion’s first title defense was against a familiar opponent, Chito Vera. He successfully avenged his only previous defeat with a unanimous decision win at UFC 299.
Despite O’Malley’s injury to his foot, he remained determined to return to the Octagon as soon as he could. He took some time off to allow for proper healing, but he was committed to making a swift comeback.
Despite not having a scheduled fight at the moment, the 29-year-old has a multitude of potential opponents to choose from. As rumors continue to circulate, let’s focus on four potential matchups that the bantamweight champion should take into consideration.
Table of Contents
- Is Sean O’Malley going to face Ilia Topuria in Spain?
- Potential super-fight with Conor McGregor
- The road to Max Holloway
- Most likely opponent for Sean O’Malley
- Sean O’Malley’s career MMA record
Sean O’Malley vs Ilia Topuria: A Potential Showdown in Spain
Directly after his victory over Vera at UFC 299, Sean O’Malley issued a challenge to Ilia Topuria, the current world featherweight champion.
O’Malley made it clear to Dana White that he was open to the idea of traveling to Spain, Topuria’s home country, for the nation’s first ever card.
Sean O’Malley calls out Ilia Topuria for Spain 👀 #UFC299 pic.twitter.com/NCWXDDEBh1
— Spinnin Backfist (@SpinninBackfist) March 10, 2024
The fight is enticing for one primary reason. Both O’Malley and Topuria are known for their aggressive fighting styles. They are not afraid to engage in a fierce exchange of strikes while standing in the center of the Octagon.
Despite the potential for a champion vs champion bout, it is improbable that White will organize this fight. Topuria has yet to defend his featherweight title and O’Malley has only defended his title once, making it unlikely for White to approve the matchup.
If both fighters continue to excel in their own divisions, it is likely that O’Malley and Topuria will eventually face each other in a highly anticipated match. Until then, fans can only dream of seeing these two talented fighters go head to head.
A potential super-fight with Conor McGregor
With Conor McGregor set to make his comeback to the world of combat sports in June, it’s impossible to overlook the potential for a record-breaking gate if he were to headline a PPV event against Sean O’Malley.
During the beginning stages of his successful MMA journey, O’Malley often drew parallels to McGregor. The similarities between their powerful knockouts and unique punching techniques made these comparisons valid.
Similarity between Conor McGregor and Sean O’Malley pic.twitter.com/f0zh7nnezg
— Payday FantasyBook (@payday_fantasy) August 20, 2023
After a nearly three-year hiatus from the Octagon, it remains unclear what condition McGregor, who is now 32, is in for his UFC career. Meanwhile, O’Malley, at 29 years old, is entering his prime in the sport.
Despite the rise of new stars in the UFC, ‘Mystic Mac’ remains the top draw for prize-money, while ‘Suga Sean’ is quickly establishing himself as this generation’s McGregor, both in terms of popularity and fighting technique.
For MMA fans, a battle between generations would undoubtedly be a highly anticipated event. However, the realization of this fight will have to wait until McGregor completes his June fight against Michael Chandler.
The road to Max Holloway
Max Holloway recently secured a last-second knockout against Justin Gaethje at UFC 300 and has now set his sights on his next opponent as the newly crowned BMF champion.
THIS ANGLE OF MAX HOLLOWAY’S KO 😱 😱UNREAL.(via @ufc) pic.twitter.com/E4qfB13TwO
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 14, 2024
Holloway listed Topuria and McGregor as the top contenders, but supporters should also consider the possibility of O’Malley facing Holloway for the BMF championship.
Despite not being O’Malley’s most likely next opponent, White and the UFC are sure to consider the idea.
Similarly to the McGregor and Topuria bouts, the clash of fighting techniques between O’Malley and Holloway would once again produce a potential candidate for fight-of-the-night.
Holloway is open to facing any challengers, but it may be premature for O’Malley to make such a significant weight jump in his career, assuming the BMF fight would take place at 155 pounds.
Merab Dvalishvili should be O’Malley’s next opponent
It is highly probable that Merab Dvalishvili will be O’Malley’s next opponent. Dvalishvili has been pursuing a match with O’Malley for several years and the two have a history outside of the Octagon.
After O’Malley’s impressive display at UFC 299, Dvalishvili attempted to extend his congratulations to ‘Suga Sean’ in the tunnel. However, the champion simply shrugged it off and continued walking.
O’Malley TKO’d Merab in the back 😭 pic.twitter.com/52SxakgORH
— Ben Davis (@BenTheBaneDavis) March 10, 2024
Ever since, the two have been exchanging verbal jabs, with Dvalishvili even creating comical social media skits that mock the current bantamweight champion.
Towards the end of March, O’Malley made an announcement that Dvalishvili would be his upcoming opponent. However, fans are still eagerly waiting for an official confirmation from Dana White. On his Timbo Sugar Show podcast, O’Malley stated, “Merab’s next. Your wish has been granted.”
Considering the early stages of Topuria’s reign, the uncertainty surrounding McGregor’s future, and Holloway’s extended absence, it is evident that Dvalishvili is the most obvious opponent to match up with.
In contrast to the three fighters discussed earlier in this article, Dvalishvili’s main strength lies in his wrestling abilities. This is a challenge that O’Malley has seldom faced in his previous fights.
O’Malley’s upcoming opponent, Dvalishvili, is expected to be his toughest challenge yet. The bantamweight champion will need to dedicate his training camp to defending against a constant barrage of takedown attempts and ground attacks.
Career MMA Record of Sean O’Malley
Throughout his MMA career, Sean O’Malley has achieved an impressive 18-1-1 record. Since joining the UFC, he has accumulated a remarkable 11-1-1 record, with seven knockouts under his belt.
Despite his impressive record, O’Malley’s only defeat was against Chito Vera. His fight against Pedro Munhoz at UFC 276 ended in a no-contest due to an accidental eye-poke by O’Malley.
Overall, those are the only defeats he has suffered in his MMA career thus far. However, he was able to redeem himself and defend his UFC Bantamweight Championship in a five-round rematch against Vera.
Despite not having a confirmed venue or date for his upcoming fight, O’Malley’s next appearance is expected to take place in 2024. There have been speculations that he will be the main event at UFC 306 in September, held at The Las Vegas Sphere.
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