Sean O’Malley paid more in taxes than he actually made fighting last year.
‘Sugar’ quickly became one of the UFC’s top stars courtesy of his colorful style and penchant for highlight-reel-worthy knockouts. The reigning bantamweight champion has since parlayed his popularity into a series of money-making side hustles, including a popular podcast, a bustling YouTube channel, and various other media outlets that have generated far more money for O’Malley than what he makes by getting punched in the face.
“My goal is always to become a multi-multi-multi-multi-multi-multi-millionaire,” O’Malley said during an appearance on Bradley Martyn’s Raw Talk. “I wanted to become — make a lot of money. You can make a lot of money in the UFC not talking sh*t, not really being on social media, doing all that thing. But you’re not — it’s gonna be harder when you have to win 5000 fights in a row.
“I paid more in taxes than I made last year in my fight [with Sterling]. I made a lot of money fighting but I made triple that from social media. From Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, all these different social medias. I made triple the amount I made fighting. I made a lot of money fighting. So, it just depends what these guys’ goals are.”
Sean O'Malley says he's paid more in taxes than he got paid for fighting in 2023
"I've paid more in taxes than I made last year in my fight, and I made a lot of money fighting. But I made triple that from social media."
🎥 @RealRawtalk #UFC #MMA pic.twitter.com/F3lVOg5dmM
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) May 8, 2024
Sean O’Malley is Enjoying Merab Dvalishvili’s Attempts to Market Himself as a ‘Goofball’
“Merab’s on like a 10-fight winning streak,” O’Malley said. “One of the most boring guys in UFC history and he’s finally kind of changing it up a bit and kind of getting some attention now. I think Merab’s doing a good job. I think people are finding out they gotta be — I think Merab genuinely is kind of a goofball and I think he’s being like himself and that’s why it’s working. I don’t think he’s forcing it.”
No official announcement has been made regarding O’Malley’s inevitable clash with Dvalishvili, but ‘Sugar’ has his sights set on the pair headlining UFC 306 when the promotion makes its debut inside The Sphere in Las Vegas.
Watch the full episode below:
