Sean O’Malley recently lost his bantamweight title to Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 306. O’Malley did not defend any of Dvalishvili’s takedowns and found it difficult to get back up to his feet. On such an off night for the ex-champ, things only turned for the worse. Soon after, ‘Suga’ announced a break from fighting to get surgery on his injured hip.
Having taken the same route as ex-middleweight champ Israel Adesanya, O’Malley is taking his time before returning. With his return scheduled for at least ten months from now, there is a list of opponents viable to fight ‘Suga.’ According to longtime coach Tim Welch, the legendary Jose Aldo remains a possible opponent for O’Malley.
There’s just so many…Henry Cejudo, we live in the city; we would get really pumped for that fight, beatin’ up that little dude. It would be crazy standing across Jose Aldo. We’ve been fans of him for a long time, and definitely a winnable fight for us also.
Tim Welch via ESPN MMA
Jose Aldo returning to fight at UFC 307 after a unanimous decision victory against Jonathan Martinez is exciting. If he defeats Mario Bautista at UFC 307, the 38-year-old might not wait ten months or more waiting for ‘Suga.’ As such, options like Cory Sandhagen and Henry Cejudo remain the likely return opponent for O’Malley.
Everything will depend on what happens in the bantamweight division ten months from now. Right now, the UFC will book Merab Dvalishvili vs. Umar Nurmagomedov. With O’Malley gone for a considerable time, Deiveson Figueiredo and Petr Yan might duke it out soon. A lot can happen from now to the middle of next year. It is anyone’s guess as to who remains available when O’Malley returns.
Sean O’Malley’s longtime coach hints at a long road to recovery
The former UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley will undergo hip surgery next month. He will be out of action for anywhere between six months and a year. O’Malley is set to go under the knife for a torn left labrum in the hip. Overall surgery, physical therapy, and recovery could put Suga out for 9-10 months.
Sean O’Malley’s longtime coach confirms major hiatus following hip surgery (via Imago/Instagram)Head coach Welch confirms the clinical procedures to be in order. He also wants to make sure the healing is done properly without rushing.
Team O’Malley will also want to improve on the weaknesses shown in the UFC 306 title fight. As such, Tim Welch has a realistic timeline for a return.
Realistically the summer, not sure how much these hip labrums take to heal but we’re gonna do it completely right and not rush it. But hopefully, by June or July, we are ready to fight again and make a run for the title.
Tim Welch via ESPN MMA
After a collapsing loss at UFC 306, Suga is surely itching to get back to his former self. Getting benched can also do him some good as he can assess his weaker spots. As he starts his long road to return, Suga drops further on the pound-for-pound rankings. Coming back fully fit in 2025, fans have to wait and see how the next Suga Show is screened.
