The Tale of Two Seans, O’Malley vs Shelby, has reached a magnanimous end. Despite O’Malley’s public trashing of UFC matchmaker Sean Shelby, the two have returned to speaking terms, with O’Malley discussing an imminent return to the Octagon.
O’Malley said of the feud: “I said what I said… I got into some trouble. I had a conversation with Sean Shelby a couple days after, in person, in Houston at the fights. We’re good now. He didn’t like what I said, I didn’t like what he said.
Sean O’Malley Patches Things Up With UFC Matchmaker, Considers Dominick Cruz
I feel like I’m in a position now where if you want me to fight in New York and I don’t want to fight in New York, I’m not gonna fight in New York. I’m in that position and I had that conversation and we’re good now.”
Sean O’Malley might think he’s in a strong negotiating position, but he still needs to fight to climb the bantamweight rankings. Passing on the UFC 268 card in New York, which will feature a headline bout between Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington, may prove detrimental to his future in the sport.
Or it may not. O’Malley appears unfazed by missing out on Frankie Edgar. “I got offered a fight in New York against Frankie and I said if Frankie wants to get whooped he can get whooped in Vegas in December, a month later.
They want Frankie to fight in New York so they gave him Chito (Marlon Vera). Getting the Suga Show against Frankie would’ve been a great fight for me but I’m not too worried about it.”
As for who’s next for “Suga” Sean O’Malley, he considered Dominick Cruz, although O’Malley admitted that the prospect is unlikely. “Who will it be? Dominick Cruz? Could be, I don’t know.
If he wants to fight in December in Vegas, I would love to dance with him. I don’t think it will be Dominick, I don’t think he’ll take that fight. I don’t think that’s a fight that he wants but if it is, then yeah that would probably be next.
If not, I don’t know and to be honest, I don’t really care if it’s a top-10 guy, a top-15 guy, a bum off the street, I’m gonna get paid the same. Whoever I beat up, I’m getting paid the same. Don’t care.”
O’Malley’s laissez-faire attitude to his opponents is nothing new, but he may have to start fighting serious competition if he wants to be taken seriously in mixed martial arts.
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