- Sean O’Malley recalled what Dana White exactly told him right after becoming the new UFC bantamweight champ
- “Suga” addressed his potential first title challenger
UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley looked back at his crowning moment at UFC 292 and shared his honest thoughts on his first title challenger.
Sean knows
Speaking to TMZ Sports, “Suga” confided that he was used to feeling like a star but after UFC 292, everything seemed to have been heightened. O’Malley also vividly recalled the exact words of UFC president Dana White as he wrapped the belt around his waist.
“To have everyone in there after the fight was… it still feels kind of like a dream, that moment, Dana wrapping that belt around [my waist]. He said, ‘Kid you have no idea how much money you’re going to make.’ And I said, ‘Yes I do.’ That’s exactly what he said,” O’Malley recalled.
“I kind of had everything-ish before ‘champ status,’ but nothing really, definitely getting recognized way more in public by random people you wouldn’t think were fight fans. Like the casuals that don’t watch the fight, watched that fight. That’s been different. Everywhere I go, older guys, older women are just geeking out over me. I’ve transcended sports to a celebrity, I feel like,” he described.
There are plenty of Options
O’Malley’s past opponent Marlon “Chito” Vera insists that he is the rightful title challenger. Despite losing to Chito in the past, “Suga” pointed out that Vera doesn’t present a strong case to earn the title shot. For O’Malley, he knows who his “options” are and he’s not really minding who claims to be deserving of a crack at his strap.
“Chito was acting like he earned a title shot. I think he even tweeted he was the most exciting bantamweight which is just bonkers. I don’t know how he sees that. He needs to settle down a little bit, cause I do have options,” O’Malley explained. “… Henry, I pretend like is an option, realistically it’s not. He lost his last fight. Alexandre Pantoja, the 125-pound champ, throwing my name out there a little bit. That’s an option. Merab’s an option. I might just wait for Cory [Sandhagen] if Chito’s gonna act like he earned a title shot.”
“I got options. I’m not too worried about it,” he concluded.
As it stands, Aljamain Sterling has called for an instant rematch with O’Malley, while Vera revealed that he and the UFC are already set to discuss the rematch with “Suga.” However, it’s gonna be a sweepstakes as reigning flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja has also expressed his desire to battle O’Malley for a super fight.
