Sean OโMalley performed underwhelmingly in his title defense against Merab Dvalishvilli. This came after promising his fans a knockout victory at UFC 306 (UFC Noche). OโMalley was heavily dominated throughout the fight, not throwing any strikes and looking like a shadow of himself. He barely threw strikes, and even fewer strikes had landed till the last round of the fight.
Many fans mocked โSugaโ for losing to the Georgian fighter. The inability to keep the fight on his feet cost him dearly. As such, the betting favorite suffered a unanimous decision loss to lose his bantamweight title. Sean OโMalley took the loss on his chest and did something totally unexpected. Instead of finding excuses in his game, he apologized for his sub-par performance.
Over promised, under delivered. Sorry. Love you guys.
Sean OโMalley via X
You took a division that once didnโt exsist and at another time was going to be dropped into the most watched division in the sport. You broke ALL TIME gate record and tried to win until the bitter end. Apology REJECTED. Wasnโt needed.
Chael Sonnen via X
โSugaโ had a clueless night to forget as he showed no takedown defense to the Georgianโs pressure. OโMalley did not throw strikes at all, even after his corner, and coach Tim Welch suggested alternatives. OโMalley needs to change some of his approaches, considering there are more all-round fighters in the division. It turns out he received a callout from one of the most well-rounded fighters in the division.
Sean OโMalley gets a callout from top bantamweight contender after Sphere loss
Sean OโMalley had a bad stylistic loss against Merab Dvalishvilli at UFC 306. Fans were left wondering about OโMalleyโs future in the UFC. Despite losing the title, โSugaโ will have plenty of options waiting for him when he returns. Cory Sandhagen, the # 4 ranked UFC bantamweight contender, is one of them.
Sandhagen has a history with OโMalley. In the past, the top contender did not like how Suga used his fame to get top matchups in the promotion. Soon after, OโMalley fired back at the โfamous guy leverageโ accusations.
Even UFC Hall of Famer Chael Sonnen also got involved in the beef. The UFC legend offered Sandhagen some advice. Now, it appears fate has set them up on a collision course. Sandhagen made sure to voice out his thoughts after OโMalley lost to Dvalishvili.
Watching Merab win the title… realizing you get Sandman vs Suga cause of it. Congrats, Merab. You’ve earned it, man. O’Malley, time to give the people what they want. I don’t promise to not kiss you.
Cory Sandhagen via X
This is a banger of a fight, as both fighters are typical strikers. One must note that Sandhagen has intensively trained grappling and has used takedowns to defeat other opponents. As such, OโMalley needs to work on his grappling defense effectively. Suga could also get to test himself against the top of the division. This could help him be in the loop for a future title fight.