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Sean O’Malley sees a UFC bantamweight championship within the close to future. The rising contender cemented himself within the championship image in his most up-to-date outing and he appears to be settling for nothing wanting a golden alternative subsequent.
O’Malley jumped from No. 11 within the bantamweight rankings to No. 1 with an exciting win over former champion Petr Yan at UFC 280. It was a contentious determination — 25 of 26 media members and 73.5% of three,322 followers polled by MMA Decisions scored the struggle in Yan’s favor — but it surely was certainly not a theft. O’Malley’s mixture of Octagon achievements and mass cross-over enchantment ought to reward him with a title shot.
“I do know my subsequent struggle is for the title,” O’Malley informed ESPN. “I’m the most important struggle, clearly,” O’Malley stated. “It does not take a genius to determine that out; anyone I struggle goes to be the most important struggle within the division. I do not know what to inform him.”
O’Malley famous within the interview with ESPN that UFC president Dana White and matchmaker Sean Shelby additionally informed him his subsequent struggle can be for the title.
UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling has advocated for the O’Malley struggle however will not compete till mid-2023. That gels nicely with O’Malley’s timeline. Former two-division UFC champion and Olympic gold medalist Henry Cejudo additionally waits within the wings, teasing a return from retirement towards Sterling. O’Malley sees worth in holding out to struggle the winner of Sterling vs. Cejudo ought to the UFC go in that path.
“It’s a greater win, beating the two-time world champ, two weight [classes], Olympic gold medalist,” O’Malley stated. “If you are simply going off that, what win seems to be higher? A win over Aljo or a win over Henry? For me, a win over Henry seems to be higher.”
