Sean O’Malley doesn’t plan on going the distance in his upcoming rematch against Marlon ‘Chito’ Vera.
In August 2023, O’Malley made his longtime prediction a reality when he knocked out Aljamain Sterling in the UFC 292 main event to become the new bantamweight king. ‘Sugar’ is now preparing to further his legacy by securing his first title defense.
On March 9, the 29-year-old superstar will headline UFC 299 in Miami, Florida, against a familiar opponent – Marlon ‘Chito’ Vera. In August 2020, O’Malley and Vera fought at UFC 252, with the latter handing the former his lone professional MMA loss with a first-round finish.
During an episode of his podcast called the BroMalleyShow, the UFC bantamweight king had this to say about his upcoming title defense:
“I don’t think it’s going five rounds. I’m finishing this dude, but I’ll be ready for war. I think he thinks, ‘Oh, I’m gonna break him, make it this war, and it’s going to be this mental grind.’ Let’s go there. I will break you. I don’t think he’s going to be able to outpace me.”
Sean O’Malley responds to doubters who believe he doesn’t have wrestling skills or five-round cardio
Sean O’Malley has reached a level of fame that comes with fans and haters. Those who don’t believe in O’Malley’s skill set have claimed he has several deficiencies, including his grappling skill and five-round cardo, which have not been fully tested in the Octagon.
During the previously mentioned podcast, O’Malley responded to those previously mentioned claims by saying:
“For whatever reason, it’s always like ‘Oh, he can’t wrestle. Oh, but does he have enough cardio?’ It’s always something. I got it all. I can do it all. If it goes five fives, you get to see that. I don’t think it’s going to. I think I’m going to finish him, too fast, too sharp, too focused. I’m taking this dude out, on to the next.”
Sean O’Malley is riding high on confidence, but there’s no doubt Marlon ‘Chito’ Vera will be a tough test for him at UFC 299. Vera has established an impressive resume during his UFC tenure and has a striking skill set that could put O’Malley in uncomfortable positions.
Only time will tell which world-class bantamweight fighter will emerge victorious with UFC gold on March 9.
Watch the entire recent episode of the BroMalleyShow below:
