UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley has made an ambitious prediction for 2024.
In his upcoming title defense, O’Malley (17-1 MMA, 9-1 UFC) plans to face off against Marlon Vera (23-8-1 MMA, 15-7 UFC) in March. “The Suga Show” knocked out Aljamain Sterling to capture the bantamweight title at UFC 292 in August. He believes that if he defeats Vera, he will ascend to superstardom.
“I will be the biggest name in sports,” O’Malley declared on “The MMA Hour.” “I go out there and knock out ‘Chito,’ get one more fight end of the year, win that, 2-0 in 2024, I believe I will be the biggest name in sports. Especially doing it in spectacular fashion, not boring like ‘Chito’ vs. Pedro (Munhoz). That was super boring.
“I can’t have performances like that. That would be embarrassing. I definitely don’t want to do that. That’s not how you become (the biggest star in sports). Aljo, that’s the toughest fight in the division. That was the No. 1 guy in the division.”
O’Malley’s only defeat came at the hands of Vera in August 2020 – a loss he characterized as a fluke after Vera kicked him in his peroneal nerve and finished him by ground-and-pound TKO.
O’Malley is confident that their upcoming rematch will demonstrate that he is the superior fighter.
“I’m going to smoke this dude,” O’Malley stated. “I don’t feel like it’s personal because I feel like if this fight never happened, it wouldn’t bother me. I’ve never lost sleep over this fight. I truly am undefeated. I mean, it’s not personal. (It) could get personal. I mean, the buildup, we’ll see what gets said, what happens. But it’s business – exciting business.”
Sarah Foster is your guide to the world of Mixed Martial Arts. With a deep understanding of MMA’s intricacies and a passion for the sport, she offers comprehensive coverage of MMA events, fighter profiles, and in-depth analysis of fights. Sarah’s commitment to the octagon ensures that readers stay engaged with the latest developments in the MMA world.
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