After capturing bantamweight gold, Sean O’Malley has become the number one target in the division with numerous contenders all eager to get their hands on the champion.
Stylistically, it seemed ‘Sugar’ had the odds stacked against him when he stepped into the octagon for his first shot at UFC gold. Aljamain Sterling had sat on the throne for two and a half years before the matchup but it didn’t take long for the challenger to impose his will and secure the upset knockout win.
O’Malley is now preparing to make his first defense of the belt but that didn’t stop him from exchanging words with a different contender in his division. The brief social media altercation was arguably the fault of Islam Makhachev’s after the lightweight king insisted Umar Nurmagomedov would beat the champion.
Umar beats Suga
— Makhachev Islam (@MAKHACHEVMMA) December 24, 2023
This, of course, captured the attention of Sean O’Malley who insisted Umar would be easy work for him. The titleholder’s comments didn’t sit well with the Russian who let his thoughts be known.
pink head
To do this you need to dare to fight with me. https://t.co/5by6MYRYdL— Umar Nurmagomedov (@UNmgdv) December 25, 2023
Confirmed for UFC 299, O’Malley will be putting his bantamweight crown on the line against the sole man to defeat him in the sport Marlon ‘Chito’ Vera. Not only is this a huge main-event matchup, but the two competitors have a real disdain for one another, which only adds to the excitement aspect of the bout.
Despite their history, many believe the Ecuadorian doesn’t deserve to be given a shot at the champion. The knockout artist is 1-1 in his last two outings, with his victory coming by unanimous decision against the current #11-ranked 135er, Pedro Munhoz.
Related: Marlon Vera: ‘I’m going to beat the f**k out of Sean O’Malley’
How close is Umar Nurmagomedov to a title fight against Sean O’Malley?
Umar Nurmagomedov is one of the fastest-rising stars in the sport and already has a huge following due to his affiliation with Islam Makhachev and his relation to the retired Khabib Nurmagomedov.
The Dagestani finds himself sitting just inside the top 15 at bantamweight, so naturally, it could be some time before a title shot comes his way. However, it seems the UFC is keen on fast-tracking the undefeated star.
Earlier this year, Umar was scheduled to come up against the current #4-ranked Cory Sandhagen. While injury forced him out of the fight, the prospect could have seen himself jump up from barely ranked to a top 5 position. It’s unclear at this stage who’s next for the 27-year-old.