The Sean O’Malley next fight news has arrived, and the man known as “Sugar” will get what he has long wanted. A chance to compete for the bantamweight title in a headlining spot for the UFC’s pay-per-view return to Boston.
Check Out: 5 Surprising Civil War Facts That Aren’t Common Knowledge
Who will Sean O’Malley next fight be against?
Following Aljamain Sterling’s successful title defense against Henry Cejudo at UFC 288, the promotion announced that Sean O’Malley will be the next man to challenge for the division title. Two weeks later, the date became official when it was announced that the two would face off in the main event of UFC 292 on Aug. 19.
While it could be argued he didn’t deserve the shot at the belt, his major name value makes it a sensible option financially for the UFC.
How to watch O’Malley vs. Sterling on Aug. 19
- O’Malley vs. Sterling will serve as the main event of UFC 292 on Aug. 19
- The card will take place inside the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts
- The fight will air exclusively on ESPN+ pay-per-view for a price of $79.99
Related: UFC tonight – Fight card, betting odds, and watch times for Saturday’s UFC event
Sean O’Malley vs Aljamain Sterling preview
O’Malley has overcome several key tests in the 135-pound division en route to his title opportunity against Aljamain Sterling. However, this matchup will be by far his toughest yet due to the outstanding grappling ability of the champion.
Size matters: A key part of Sterling’s success at bantamweight has been his size and reach. However, against “Sugar” he will be at a disadvantage in height and reach. It is something he has yet to encounter in the Octagon and could prove pivotal as O’Malley plays a distance game and looks to put his foe to sleep when he attempts to get him to the mat.
Grappling time: The big knock on O’Malley has been his lack of facing opponents with elite-level grappling. He has fought talented competitors, but his schedule has been beneficial to his style and he has not passed that one ultimate test all great fighters must in MMA. Well, now he will get the best of the best on the mat in the weight class. If he can’t stop the champ’s takedown advances, this could be a short night for O’Malley.
The bottom line: The trash talk in the lead-up to this bout should be entertaining and the fight will be a test of O’Malley’s superstar appeal as he will probably headline his first PPV for the company. It is a matchup all his fans have wanted and one his detractors will look forward to.
What makes Sean O’Malley so popular?
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.
- Sean O’Malley record: 16-1-1 (11 knockouts, 1 submission)
- Sean O’Malley last fight: Split-decision win over Petr Yan
- Sean O’Malley wife: The UFC star is in an open marriage with Danya Gonzalez
- O’Malley has 16 career victories, with seven coming in the fabled Octagon. He has a 78% finish rate, with 11 KOs and one submission win as he enters his seventh 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 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.
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 over three million followers across his Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram accounts.
- Not to be outdone, the multi-talented “Sugar Sean” also has close to 400,000 subscribers on his YouTube channel. Where he recently made headlines after posting a video of handing out thousands of dollars to random Walmart shoppers on Christmas Eve 2021.
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 is estimated to be $850,000.