It’s finally here! After a long wait, fans were finally able to witness Aljamain Sterling vs. Sean O’Malley, a fight that has been building up for so long. Fortunately for fans, it was a fight that absolutely lived up to the hype.
While the first round was very close, Sterling managed to shoot and hold O’Malley up against the cage to land a few shots. Seeing that neither fighter had any other significant moments in the round, Aljo was able to secure the first. Here, it was interesting to see O’Malley and the work he had put in for his takedown defense.
SEAN O’MALLEY KNOCKS OUT ALJAMAIN STERLING 😱
WE HAVE A NEW BANTAMWEIGHT WORLD CHAMP #UFC292 pic.twitter.com/imITCioq49
— UFC (@ufc) August 20, 2023
As such, it was expected that a similar trend would continue for Round 2. However, it was Aljo going on the offensive instead with a leading jab. However, this was also his undoing as O’Malley countered with a clean right, dropping Aljo and then finishing up with hammer fists. Thus, the underdog contender did the unthinkable and beat the reigning champion! Following Jamahal Hill, O’Malley is the second-ever Contender Series alumni to become a UFC champion!
For the most part, the Boston crowd went absolutely crazy for the Sugar Show and his outstanding showing on the night. Notably, after the fight, Daniel Cormier compared O’Malley’s finishing sequence to Conor McGregor‘s historic finish of Jose Aldo at UFC 194. On that occasion, the champion, Aldo, also blitzed forward just like Sterling and was caught by a beautiful counter left from McGregor. Safe to say, O’Malley’s finish echoed the same.
Fans compared O’Malley to Conor McGregor
An ecstatic moment for many, fans were overjoyed to see O’Malley finally clinch the title. Arguably the more favored fighter, O’Malley gives the fans something to cheer for every time he steps inside the Octagon. With that said, here are some of the reactions to the biggest win of Sean O’Malley’s career.
Interestingly, many fans like Cormier compared O’Malley’s situation and finish to those of Conor McGregor. With comparisons often drawn between the two, this has given fans the hope that perhaps O’Malley can achieve the same amount of success as the Irishman. Although he has never spoken about it, O’Malley may have aspirations of being a multi-divisional champ in the future.
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Other than that, fans also took to Twitter or X to share their thoughts on the fight. Writing about the finish, one fan wrote, “Gonna be playing this on repeat til Halloween at least” whilst another followed up with, “Easy clap. Not early stoppage.” Similarly, fans of Sean O’Malley wrote, “He got it done baby!!! LFG” and “It’s gonna be fun watching him keep that belt too.”
Additionally, long-time supporters of the fighter felt proud of having witnessed Sean’s journey in the UFC. “MMA is the best sport. Look at what Sean had achieved. I mean I watched this skinny dude in the DWCS.MMA is the best sport. Look at what Sean had achieved. I mean I watched this skinny dude in the DWCS.” All things considered, everyone seems excited now that the belt has switched hands.
Sean O’Malley wants his rematch with Marlon Vera
Understandably, it was a big moment for the Arizona native. For the most part, O’Malley had often been criticized for not having the best resume and was deemed unworthy of a title shot by some. However, on the night, O’Malley proved everyone wrong after knocking one of the most dominant bantamweight champions.
Ahead of the fight, many hailed Sterling as the ‘bantamweight GOAT’, even stating that his legacy was sealed despite the outcome of the fight. Following the loss, Sterling also congratulated O’Malley for the win and was humble in defeat. Despite murmurs of an early stoppage, the Funk Master made no excuses and exuded class despite coming up short.
As for O’Malley, the man of the hour, life has never been sweeter. Finally, the bantamweight champion of the world, many believe that the best is yet to come for the 28-year-old. Speaking to Joe Rogan in the post-fight interview, O’Malley revealed his plans for the future. To no one’s surprise, O’Malley wants to run it back with Marlon ‘Chito’ Vera once again.
For those unaware, Chito remains O’Malley’s only loss in the UFC. At UFC 252, Sean suffered nerve damage to his leg, which affected his ability to fight. Thus, Vera was able to capitalize and secure a win back then. However, things will definitely be different this time around. With that said, what did you make of Sean’s performance? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.