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Sean O’Malley Believes He’ll One Day Be Champ After UFC 280

Garrett Burroughs / UFC / October 24, 2022

Sean O’Malley believes ‘it’s inevitable’ that he’ll become champ after UFC 280

Going into UFC 280, there may not have been a more hyped-up fight than “Suga” Sean O’Malley going against his toughest opponent to date in Petr Yan. O’Malley has built such a strong following around him that anytime he fights, it’s a must-see event.

The MMA community was stunned at the decision of their fight from UFC 280, with many people expecting to see Yan get his hand raised at the end. However, it would be O’Malley getting the last laugh and pulling off the split decision stunner to earn the biggest win of his career. At the post-fight press conference, he had some bold takes on his future.

Full quotes via MMA Junkie.

“It’s inevitable,” O’Malley said. “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.”

“‘Kick his legs,’ was the first one,” O’Malley continued. “Now it’s ‘You can’t just kick his legs and take him down.’ Petr kicked my legs and took me down, and still (I) won. So yeah, I’m answering questions little by little.”

“I don’t want to get hit ever,” he added. “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,” the 28-year-old said. “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.”

After watching the fight back, the consensus was the fight would be scored 29-28 in favor of Yan. One thing to consider, however, is that O’Malley outpaced Yan 84-58 in significant strikes, which led to Yan being cut open. However you scored this fight, I believe the clear next fight for O’Malley is a crack at the current champion Aljamain Sterling in the spring of next year.

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