Sean O’Malley will look to test out Aljamain Sterling’s chin once the two bantamweight stars step inside the Octagon for their highly anticipated title tilt at UFC 292 this Saturday night.
The promotion heads back to Boston for a stacked card inside TD Garden, headlined by a 135-pound title clash between perhaps the greatest bantamweight in the history of the division, and one of the most polarizing figures in mixed martial arts today. Ahead of his first opportunity at UFC gold, Sean O’Malley, alongside his long-time coach Tim Welch, appeared on Bradley Martyn’s Raw Talk to discuss the impending title fight.
One of the big discussions going into the contest is weight cutting. Aljamain Sterling has confirmed on more than one occasion that win or lose, he will be moving up to the featherweight division following UFC 292. Discussing his own weight cut and that of his opponent, O’Malley said:
“I cut an average amount of weight that’s normal for the sport and it’s f*cking hard, dude. You see me weigh-in day… You see any of the guys, it’s f*cking miserable. [Sterling] is quite a bit bigger. He’s a big motherf*cker and he knows these next couple weeks I’m still eating good a** meals. I’m sure slowly, the closer we get to weigh-ins, he’s gonna be… He has to start eating less.
“I think he’s going to crash diet. That’s what Tim [Welch] had said and I agree. It seems like he’s gonna… Even right now, he might still be eating good, but they’re gonna come to a point where he’s gonna have to really f*ckin’ limit those calories.
“He’s always bragging about how big he is and how heavy he is. How much he weighs and that he’s going up to 145 because he’s so big. He’s been saying that for the last three or four fights. That these weight cuts are just too hard. That he’s too big. I mean, that’s just coming from him.”
Sean O'Malley is looking as fast as ever in his preparation for his UFC Bantamweight title shot at UFC 292#MMATwitter #UFC292 #UFC #MMA pic.twitter.com/66Se2sM0hp
— OddSmokerSteve (@OddSmokerSteve) August 11, 2023
O’Malley believes that Sterling’s sizeable weight cut will ultimately affect his ability to perform on Saturday night. But given the undeniably impressive performances that the ‘Funk Master’ has delivered in his last few bouts, ‘Sugar’ can’t be certain that the weight cut will play a role in their high-profile headliner.
“He went five fives with Henry Cejudo who was the double champ,” O’Malley said. “He’s still making weight, doing good. He’s defended the more than any bantamweight has ever defended the belt. He’s in his prime. He’s 33, so I don’t know if it’s going to play a role or not, but I like to think it is.
“It’s science. You cut that much weight, you dehydrate yourself that much, it is not good for your brain. You cannot take the shot that you would not be able to take cutting that much weight and I find people’s chins.”
Sean O’Malley Knows Aljamain Sterling Will Be His Toughest Opponent Yet
Sean O’Malley has amassed an impressive 8-1 record inside the Octagon with five of those wins coming by way of knockout. But it’s safe to say that ‘Sugar’ has never faced a foe quite like Aljamain Sterling.
Discussing their individual game plans, it’s no secret that O’Malley will look to catch Sterling’s chin as early as possible while ‘Funk Master’ is likely hoping to take things to the ground to grind out a dominant decision victory or a highlight-reel-worthy submission.
“There’s zero secret on what his game plan is or into what mine is,” O’Malley continued. “My game plan is do not let him grab me. His game plan is grab me. It’s very simple. For me, it’s a simple game plan to execute. Don’t let him grab me. It’s as simple as that.
“He’s gonna want to come in there and get the job done quick, I feel like. You know, he’s been saying he has these injuries and his weight cuts are too hard so I feel like he’s gonna come in there and try to get the job done early which could really f*ck him over in the later rounds.”
Sean O'Malley is a sneaky striker pic.twitter.com/AwnC1CGc7V
— Bloody Elbow (@BloodyElbow) August 11, 2023
Asked for his prediction on how things will play out in Bean Town this weekend, Sean O’Malley hopes to make it an early evening, once again suggesting that Sterling’s chin will likely be compromised due to the extreme weight cut.
“Ideally I go out there and take him out in the first round. That’s how I’ve always wanted my fights to go. I’ve always wanted to go out there and put people’s lights out in the first round. And you look at my career, my UFC… Well, even before that, if I don’t finish people in the first round, I do drop people. At least in the first round, I will find his chin.
“And like I said, he’s cutting a lot of weight so it’s gonna be up to his chin to decide if he can take those shots and I have to deliver those shots before he does get a hold of me, but I’m very confident. I’m very hard to take down. It’s not easy to take down. He’s not gonna be able to just go in there and grab me super easy. I do believe in my skill set to avoid the takedown, the wrestling defense, and to find his chin.”
