Sean O'Malley next fight: 3 opponent options for ‘Suga' after UFC 316 loss, including Henry Cejudo
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Who will Sean O'Malley next fight be against?
After losing twice to current champ Merab Dvalishvili, O'Malley will have to head to the back of the line and work his way into title contention over the next year. To speed up his rise back to a title fight, matchups with Henry Cejudo, Cory Sandhagen, or a rematch with Petr Yan make sense for his next bout.
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Triple C: Cejudo and O'Malley have had issues for years, yet the two former champions have never faced off. With Cejudo nearing a second retirement, 'Suga' should jump a the chance to face the slumping legend before he walks away from MMA once and for all.
Sandman: Sandhagen could potentially get a title opportunity next. If he doesn't, a scrap with O'Malley is a clash fight fans have wanted to see for some time.
The Russian: O'Malley and Yan had a fantastic tactical war three years ago. If he is successful against Marcus McGhee in July, trying to get a second win over the Russian following a three-fight win streak would be a smart risk for the American.
Sean O'Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili II review
Credit: Ed Mulholland/Zuffa LLC
O'Malley's UFC 316 main event was a massive moment in the bantamweight star's career. Although he knew exactly what he had to do to score sweet revenge, the Georgian star proved once again he is 'Suga's' kryptonite.
What Happened: In Round 1, the bout looked much like the first fight as the champ's wrestling was a problem for O'Malley. However, the challenger showed far better defense and used his range and movement to show he had learned something since the first fight.
But in Round 3, Dvalishvili turned up the heat and absolutely dominated O'Malley with his wrestling. Eventually getting into a north-south position and locking in a fight-ending inverted guillotine choke.
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The Fallout: The defeat was a huge setback for the former champion. It pushes him far out of the title picture. He will now have to win at least a few fights or hope someone else is able to take the belt away from Dvalishvili.
What's Next? O'Malley needs a few wins after two straight losses. That is why, if he is up to it, a bout against long-time rival Henry Cejudo makes a lot of sense for his return fight.
What makes Sean O'Malley so popular?
Credit: Craig Kidwell-Imagn Images
The Sugar Show: O'Malley has become an immediate star in the UFC by being a cocky fighter with the ability to back up his brash boasts nearly every time. He has a fan-friendly fight style and usually gives them what they want. Seeing fighters get physically embarrassed and put to sleep by a destructive striker is a big part of his draw.
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Sean O'Malley record: 18-3-1 NC (12 knockouts, 1 submission)
Sean O'Malley last fight: Submission loss to Merab Dvalishvili
Sean O'Malley wife: The UFC star is in an open marriage with Danya Gonzalez
O'Malley has 18 career victories, with 10 coming in the fabled Octagon. He has a 77% finish rate, with 11 KOs and one submission win as he enters his ninth year as a pro fighter.
'Sugar' has sent nine of his opponents home in the first round, including Raulian Paiva, Alfred Khashakyan, and UFC and WEC stalwart Eddie Wineland.
His lone loss in the promotion came to Marlon 'Chito' Vera at UFC 252 in August 2020. Although the win is listed as a technical knockout loss, O'Malley suffered a freak injury from a Vera kick that made it a little different than typical TKO defeats.
Also Read: Where does Sean O'Malley land in our latest UFC bantamweight rankings
The Influencer: With his rainbow-colored hairdo and tattoos adorning his body and face, O'Malley is a fighter perfect for the 18 to 32-year-old demographic of UFC fans today. And it shows in his reach on social media platforms.
Despite only being in the organization for a few years, O'Malley already has millions of followers across his Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram accounts.
'Sugar Sean' also has over 900,000 subscribers on his YouTube channel.
Sean O'Malley's net worth
The measure of a fighter's success is in dollars and cents stacked up from a career in professional fisticuffs. It is still early days for O'Malley, but his net worth as of 2054 is estimated to be as much as $2.2 million.
How tall is Sean O Malley really?
sean o'malley next fight
The reigning bantamweight king is actually abnormally tall for the division and is a whopping 5-foot-11. The same height as many welterweights in the UFC.
What style of fighter is Sean O'Malley?
'Sugar' is very much a striking-first fighter. While he can grapple and has shown rock-solid takedown defense, he is an elite-level sniper. His hands and feet have a counter-striking style similar to legends like Anderson Silva and Israel Adesanya.
Does Sean O'Malley do jiu-jitsu?
Yes, like every other MMA fighter, Sean O'Malley works on all elements of his grappling, including his Brazilian jiu-jitsu. The word is that he has a solid mat game that is very underrated since he has to use it so rarely.
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