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22 hours ago
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Sean O'Malley aims high. The self-proclaimed "future GOAT" (greatest of all time) of the bantamweight division is ready to prove that it is not just an empty story, and the first step towards that is to regain the championship title this Saturday in revenge against Merab Dvalishvili.
During yesterday's UFC Embedded episode, the 30-year-old O'Malley said he's just reached his prime, or even that it's still in the future:
- My goal is to become one of the greatest of all time, and there is a way I can achieve it: go out there, get revenge on Merab, take the belt back... I also took the belt from Aljo (Aljamain Sterling), one of the best bantamweights of all time. I defend it (the title) several times... This next match might just be my first fight in the "prime"... if I even reached it yet.
O'Malley's ascent was by no means easy. After winning Dana White's Contender Series in 2017, he immediately attracted attention with his attractive knockouts and fighting style. But injuries – most notably a fractured Lisfranc joint in his foot and subsequent hip surgery – kept him out of action for a long time, threatening to destroy his momentum even before his real career began.
Marlon Vera at UFC 252
After losing to Marlon Vera at UFC 252, he bounced back with three straight stoppage wins. Then he defeated the former champion Petr Yan by referee's decision, and the culmination was winning the bantam title by technical knockout against Sterling in August 2023.
He defended the belt once by defeating Vera in a rematch in March 2024, before meeting the relentless Dvalishvili at UFC 306 last September. Merab's wrestling and constant pressure handed O'Malley his first loss in eight fights, ending his championship streak after just one defense.
The future of this great fighter who has truly shown countless times that he represents the future of the UFC scene will be interesting.
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