UFC bantamweight Sean O’Malley delivered a serious statement with his decision victory over Petr Yan at UFC 280 this weekend. At the post-fight press conference, O’Malley predicted that, with a victory over the division’s no.1 contender, claiming the 135-pound belt is only a matter of time.
“It’s inevitable. I turn 28 [Sunday], and I’m going to be in this sport for a long time. People want me to be champ, so it’s going to happen sooner or later.”
O’Malley: UFC Championship “Inevitable”
O’Malley continued, pointing out that he’s been silencing doubters with every fight of his UFC career. “‘Kick his legs’ was the first one. Now it’s ‘You can’t just kick his legs and take him down.’ Petr kicked my legs and took me down, and still won. So yeah, I’m answering questions little by little.”
O’Malley earned a bloody split decision win over Petr Yan. The fight lasted all three rounds, with some seriously heavy striking exchanges throughout. O’Malley typically prefers not to stand and bang with his opposition, and will seek to avoid sustaining too many head shots over the course of his fighting career.
“I don’t want to get hit ever. It’s not healthy. It’s not good to get punched on the head. It’s not good for you to have headaches. Ideally, I go in there and not get hit. But I think it makes it even sweeter, the story – I really had to show my heart.
I got to go deep. I had to go somewhere mentally and physically I’ve never been before, and that’s what happens when you fight the best guys in the world.”
Sean O’Malley’s surge through the bantamweight division has seen him become one of the bigger stars in the UFC. O’Malley’s brash persona and habit of ending fights early with his crisp, clean striking has him widely touted as a future superstar. His last fight, against Pedro Munhoz, was declared no contest after an illegal eye poke. However, O’Malley returned to winning ways with a career-best performance against Petr Yan, a former bantamweight champion.
UFC 280 was co-headlined by a bantamweight title bout between champ Aljamain Sterling and T.J. Dillashaw. Sterling finished the fight in under two rounds, sustaining little damage in the process. The timeline for the champ and O’Malley suggests that we may well see “Suga” Sean competing for a UFC title before too long.
Do you think O’Malley can claim the UFC bantamweight title? Let us know in the comments.
