Sean O’Malley’s UFC 276 main card opener against Pedro Munhoz came to an unceremonious end when the ref called the fight off due to an unintentional eye poke. While Munhoz appeared legitimately injured, claiming that he couldn’t see out of the damaged eye, Sean O’Malley claimed at the post-fight press conference that his opponent was looking for a “way out” with the poke.
“100 percent [he was looking for a way out]. That’s what’s going on in my mind. I’ll have to rewatch it. I was piecing him up. I didn’t get hit once. He came in there, he said I’m going to kick his legs and try to take him down. He tried kicking my legs and it damaged him more. He couldn’t get me up against the fence. He couldn’t get me down. I was dominating that fight.
O’Malley: Munhoz Was Looking for “Way Out” With Eye Poke
Initially when it happened, I didn’t think it was bad. I thought we’d be fighting in like 20 seconds. I didn’t think the fight was going to be stopped. I was dominating that fight. I checked every one of his leg kicks. I could feel his shins cracking. Every time he would throw a kick, I would check it and I could tell it would hurt him. I didn’t get hit one time. I was dominating that fight. I was piecing him up. I was finding my range. It sucks.”
According to the judges’ scorecards, Munhoz was ahead in both rounds of the fight, albeit with the second round incomplete. Sean O’Malley found this baffling.
“Have those judges kick me and I’ll check their kick and they’ll be like ‘OK, that hurt.” That’s a strike for me. That hurt Pedro. Every time he would kick me and I checked it, that hurt him. For those judges to say that’s a score for him, they’re completely stupid. Literally just stupid.
It’s a weird feeling because I do feel like I won the fight but it’s not emotions of winning a fight. I was winning the fight. I can’t believe the judges score. I literally didn’t get hit once. We’re they watching? I didn’t get hit. How could you score that? That makes zero sense.”
Despite the score, O’Malley described the result as the “best case scenario” for his opponent. “I really believe that was best case scenario for Pedro. I was piecing him up. I was way faster than him. He couldn’t hit me, couldn’t hurt me.”
Do you agree with Sean O’Malley’s assessment? Let us know in the comments.
