UFC Bantamweight Champion Sean O’Malley has quite the explanation for his lone career loss against Marlon Vera.
Back in August 2020, O’Malley and Vera shared the Octagon inside the UFC APEX in Las Vegas. Vera won the fight via first-round TKO. Since that time, O’Malley has insisted that he was never actually defeated by “Chito.”
Following the events of UFC 292, it appears the stars are aligning for the two to share the Octagon once again. O’Malley captured UFC gold from Aljamain Sterling, while Vera defeated Pedro Munhoz.
Marlon 'Chito' Vera says he texted UFC execs Dana White and Hunter Campbell about the Sean O'Malley rematch 📲 #TheMMAHour
"If you guys are listening, I’m in. Send papers."
▶️ https://t.co/UvyAzjnBnl pic.twitter.com/lWP9cnY4w3
— MMA Fighting (@MMAFighting) September 6, 2023
Sean O’Malley Has Hysterical Explanation
During an appearance on MMAFighting’s “The MMA Hour,” Sean O’Malley said that if it was up to him, his first UFC bantamweight title defense would be against Vera.
“If I got the pick, if I was running the show I would say yes, simply because ‘Chito’ is the biggest fight next,” O’Malley said. “Not because his beautiful performance over Pedro, that was not the case. If I fight ‘Chito’ next it’s because that’s what I want and that’s the biggest fight. I’m in the fight business and I want big fights.”
When asked if he wants that fight in order to “right the wrong,” the “Sugar” show gave his hilarious explanation for the loss to Vera three years ago.
“I never lost sleep over this fight,” O’Malley said. “I’ve actually been playing chess for a long time. I lost that fight on purpose just so that I could go out there and knock out Aljo and have that be my biggest fight, rematch.”
What If He Doesn’t Get “Chito” Rematch?
While O’Malley wants the rematch with Vera, he isn’t opposed to other contenders if the UFC wants to go in a different direction.
“I knocked out Merab [Dvalishvili] August 19th, the same night I knocked out Aljo,” O’Malley said. “They’re the same, they hold hands, they’re the same person. I knocked them both out August 19th. So, we’ll see what happens. I’ve called out the ‘Chito’ fight before me vs. Aljo, before Pedro vs. Chito. I said, ‘Hey, Chito goes out there and wins, I go out there and win, I’m fighting Chito for my first title defense,’ and that’s what happened. That’s what’s gonna happen next in my eyes. That’s what I want, but at the end of the day, I’ll go out there and knock out whoever they put in front of me.”
