UFC bantamweight champion “Suga” Sean O’Malley is now one of the biggest superstars in MMA. Even before he became a champion, he had made significant revenue on social media and his merchandise. One of the biggest threats to a fighter’s income is high taxation, and O’Malley also seems to have the same problem.
For O’Malley, he has always dreamed of being a multi-millionaire. As such, he always saw the fighting game as a business venture. Moreover, he also found alternative streams of revenue. In his recent appearance on Bradley Martyn‘s Raw Talk, O’Malley talked about his income and the high taxation associated with it.
I paid more in taxes than I made last year in my fight, and I made a lot of money fighting. But I made triple that from social media, from Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, like all these different social medias. I made triple the amount of money I made fighting. I made a lot of money fighting.
Sean O’Malley via Bradley Martyn’s Raw Talk
For O’Malley, it’s important to have a presence on social media. He revealed fighters can make a lot of money with the UFC alone. However, having a social media presence makes it a lot easier. Without a social media presence, fighters would have to fight more to get a title shot.
O’Malley last fought at UFC 299, where he outclassed Marlon Vera. Merab Dvalishvili is potentially next in line for O’Malley, possibly at UFC 306. Dvalishvili revealed the fight was a done deal, but O’Malley has stated otherwise. Nonetheless, Suga has applauded Dvalsihvili’s presence as a step in the right direction.
Sean O’Malley speaks on number one contender Merab Dvalishvili
Merab Dvalishvili has the longest active winning streak in the UFC’s bantamweight division. Only Islam Makhachev, the pound-for-pound king, has a longer active winning streak in the promotion. Nonetheless, one or two reasons forbade the Georgian from a title shot.
Merab Dvalishvili (Image via: IMAGO)Aljamain Sterling, the former champion, was a close friend of the Georgian. Moreover, Dvalishvili only had a single finish in his UFC career, something he self-trolled in his skit. However, the Georgian’s hilarious skits on social media have attracted attention. It even got admiration from bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley.
Merab’s [Dvalishvili] doing a good job. I think people are finding out they gotta be. I think that Merab genuinely is a kind of a goofball, and I think he’s being like himself, and that’s why it’s working, you know? I don’t think he’s forcing it. I think he is trying to, you know, he’s being himself, and he’s got people helping him come up with the little skits, and it’s working. It does seem genuine. He seems like a goofball, so I think that’s why it’s working.
Sean O’Malley via Bradley Martyn’s Raw Talk
Sean O’Malley vs Merab Dvalishvili is reportedly set for UFC 306 at the Vegas Sphere on September 14 💥
(via Merab/UFC India) pic.twitter.com/4XpKLzhx4U
— Happy Punch (@HappyPunch) May 5, 2024
Recently, Jose Aldo made a spectacular comeback at UFC 301, defeating Jonathan Martinez. Aldo is now in the top 10 of the bantamweight rankings. As such, there is a possibility the two-time UFC featherweight champion could leapfrog the “Machine.”
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