Sean O'Malley: "The UFC needs a champion like me!"

Bantamweight star Sean O’Malley believes that he deserves a title shot if he scores a victory at UFC 280.

“Sugar” O’Malley didn’t get much of a chance to impress when he took on Pedro Munhoz at UFC 276. After a fairly uneventful first round the bout ended prematurely and was declared a no contest, to the dismay of fans and fighters alike, due to an inadvertent eye poke from O’Malley. Number nine ranked Munhoz would have been O’Malley’s biggest win to date, if he had managed to beat him. As it stands, the UFC star has no wins over any currently ranked bantamweights.

That may soon change, however, when he faces off against number one ranked Petr Yan at UFC 280 in Abu Dhabi. The former champion “No Mercy” Yan is by far the toughest test of O’Malley’s career, but if “Sugar” passes with flying colours big things might be in store for him, as the fight could potentially be a title eliminator for both contestants. Though that could depend on who holds the belt after the reigning champion Aljamain Sterling and the challenger T.J. Dillashaw settle their differences in the octagon during that very same night.

“I’m pretty sure T.J. said he wouldn’t fight me for his title defense,” O’Malley told Michael Bisping on his YouTube channel. “There’s a couple ways you could look at that. You could look at that like he doesn’t want to fight me because he knows I’m good, or that’s pretty much the only reason I can figure out why he wouldn’t want to fight me. I’m the biggest fight in the division for anybody.”

O’Malley is aware of the challenges that Yan poses, but believes that he has what it takes to finish the fight, both on the feet and on the mat.

“I believe this is going to be a sweet kickboxing match,” O’Malley said. “Petr says he’s a master of boxing, I believe I’m the best MMA striker in the UFC, so I do believe it will be a very interesting, high-level kickboxing match… I don’t think he’s coming to wrestle, and if he does, I wouldn’t mind choking him. I’m very, very confident in my jiu-jitsu. I really haven’t gotten to show it at all.”

Despite being untested against the top of the division, “Sugar” could soon fight for UFC gold. With a spectacular win over Yan and with the support of his large fanbase, it would be difficult for the organisation to deny him a shot at the title. A fact that O’Malley is well aware of.

“I was trying to be humble, but you’re absolutely right. I fucking beat Petr, I’m going to be the champ, I’m going to fight for the belt. That’s what everyone wants. The UFC needs a champion like me. So yeah, you’re 100 percent right. I go out there and starch Petr, he faceplants on October 22nd in Abu Dhabi, on a massive card, you’re pretty accurate in saying I’ll get the title shot. Especially with Aljo and T.J. being on that card.”