The aftermath of UFC 288’s headliner saw top bantamweight contender “Suga” Sean O’Malley enter the Octagon to call out reigning 135-pound champ Aljamain Sterling.
Sterling had just handily dispatched former two-division champion Henry Cejudo, and while it seems that O’Malley will be next in line to challenge for Sterling’s throne, the surging bantamweight believes Henry Cejudo is “lucky” not to experience the Suga Show firsthand.
UFC’s Sean O’Malley Claims Henry Cejudo “Lucky” Not To Face Him After UFC 288
O’Malley explained his logic on a recent episode of The MMA Hour. “I think Henry lucked out.
He got lucky he lost that fight because I do believe I would have put Henry’s lights out. He stands there with his chin up. I’m sure you saw Conor [McGregor’s] tweet and stuff, that was absolutely hilarious because Henry, he thinks he’s just this… he has a good résumé, he’s really good, don’t get me wrong, but he thinks he invented play sparring. He thinks he’s just this guy that is the incredible guy, it’s just annoying. So I would have loved to sleep that dude.
He walks out there with his chin up, he fights like he’s 6-foot-3, he’s not. He fights like he’s a tall guy and you think being as smart as he is he would have a little bit better style, but I was just fired up in there.”
O’Malley, who earned his “sugar” nickname because of his “sweet” striking, offered some brutal critiques of Henry Cejudo’s approach to the title fight.
“He did well, I honestly thought he had won the fight, but it’s just like, maybe ‘Captain’ [Eric Albarracin] told him to stand like that?’
I don’t know if he thought of it himself, but for someone that speaks so highly of themselves, you think he would have a little bit better style being his kind of build.”
Although Sean O’Malley still wants to fight for the title, the bantamweight challenger refuses to rule out a potential bout against Henry Cejudo in future.
“I think [Cejudo is the bigger money fight], but now that Aljo beat Henry, me vs. Aljo is still a really big fight. I think me vs. Henry is a little bit bigger fight, but not much difference. Those guys are similar draws. I’m very curious what the pay-per-views did for this fight. I think me vs. Aljo could double it, or I could double it, sorry.”
O’Malley reiterated that he simply wants to punch Henry Cejudo right in the face.
“You can’t tell me you wouldn’t like to punch him in the face. He’s just got that face. That big head, short arms, short legs, he’s 5-foot-4, he fights with his chin higher than… I don’t know, there’s just something about Henry I would have loved to smack him.
Who knows, maybe somewhere down the line somewhere if he doesn’t quit again, then we can make that happen.” Is Sean O’Malley right? Let us know in the comments.
