Sean O’Malley, a rising star at bantamweight in the UFC, has been transparent about the fact that he prefers a cautious build to face elite opposition and has explained why. However, he is making the largest of leaps for his upcoming battle now that he is rated.
“I’m so excited for this,” O’Malley said on the ESPN show “DC & RC” with Daniel Cormier and Ryan Clark. “I almost can’t even believe it’s real, it’s happening.”
Petr Yan, a former champion and current No. 1 contender, will be O’Malley’s opponent at UFC 280 in Abu Dhabi on October 22. O’Malley, ranked No. 13 in the official UFC rankings, is scrambling to be ready.
“He’s obviously the No. 1 contender right now,” O’Malley said
“The way Petr beat Jose Aldo was one of my favorite performances of Petr Yan, so going in there and stepping up against a guy like Petr is exciting, it’s motivating, and it’s the biggest fight in the bantamweight division right now. I think it’s bigger than Aljo vs. T.J. (Dillashaw).”
That might be the case, but it’s also being characterised on social media as a mismatch. O’Malley (15-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC) is unranked at 135 pounds by USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie, which ranks athletes from all leagues. On the other hand, Yan (16-3 MMA, 8-2 UFC) is ranked No. 2, only behind current UFC champion Sterling.
“I’ve been preparing for this for a long time,” – O’Malley on his next opponent Petr Yan
O’Malley, just 27, is on a three-fight winning streak. However, his most recent battle, a first-round no contest after accidentally poking Pedro Munhoz in the eye against a ranked opponent, was lacklustre for the duration of the fight. Munhoz received first place on the scorecards from two of the three judges.
Whether or not he has experience fighting, O’Malley is convinced he can win at UFC 280.
“I’ve been preparing for this for a long time,” O’Malley said. “I’ve felt like I was capable to fight these guys for a long time; it’s just I never got an opportunity. I’m just so excited to get out there. It’s the first time I’m going to be an underdog. I’m assuming I’ll be an underdog (he’s a 3-to-1 underdog), which is super cool.”
“So I think it’s going to be a super interesting fight. He says he’s a master of boxing. I like to think of myself as a very, very high-level striker.”
O’Malley continued, “It’s the best dude I’ve ever fought, hands down, and I’m very excited for the opportunity. And I just believe I’m going to be better October 22nd than Petr.”
UFC 280 is looking absolutely stacked! UFC fans do not want to miss this!
