For many UFC stars, life after the Octagon can take some unexpected turns—some dive into business ventures, others flirt with politics, and a few even end up on OnlyFans. But not Sean O’Malley. The bantamweight champ already knows exactly what’s next once the gloves come off for good—and it’s not launching a brand or chasing clout.
Instead, ‘Suga’ has his sights set on building the next generation of fighters.
“Just coaching,” he said on an episode of his podcast, revealing his intentions of guiding young talent and passing on everything he’s learned from the fight game.
Transitioning from fighter to coach is no easy feat, but some former UFC athletes have made the switch seamlessly. Take Khabib Nurmagomedov, for example. After retiring undefeated (29-0), he’s been instrumental in coaching talents like Islam Makhachev, who now holds the UFC Lightweight title.
Then there’s Mike Brown, a former WEC Featherweight Champion, who’s become a cornerstone at American Top Team, mentoring stars such as Dustin Poirier and Amanda Nunes.
Over in New Zealand, Eugene Bareman, once a fighter himself, has shaped UFC champions like Israel Adesanya and Alexander Volkanovski at City Kickboxing.
Let’s not forget Javier Mendez of American Kickboxing Academy; his transition from kickboxer to coach has led to the rise of champions like Cain Velasquez and Daniel Cormier, Khabib, Islam, and Usman Nurmagomedov (Bellator Lightweight champion).
These ex-fighters have taken their in-cage experiences and translated them into coaching success, proving that sometimes, the best teachers are those who’ve been in the trenches themselves, and O’Malley wants to join them.
“I’m so excited about what’s next,” O’Malley said. “Just coaching and helping these young bucks chase the same dreams we chased”, he added with a reputable clarity.
However, that phase of his life is a long way from now. Having recovered from a successful hip surgery, O’Malley hopes to regain the bantamweight title he lost to Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 306 last year.
Even though it can be argued that an immediate rematch has the stink of ‘Dana White privilege’ smeared all over it, O’Malley has already taken steady steps to prove his detractors wrong on June 7 at UFC 316.
‘Suga’ quit social media and weed
For half a year now, O’Malley has felt like he was robbed. Weeks after UFC 306, he had complained about having won at least three rounds against Dvalishvili.
But the evidence has continued to point at the contrary. Even though he managed to get a few strikes at the then-challenger’s head in the final round of the fight, Dvalishvili had him on the ropes for at least four.
Regardless, O’Malley now believes it’s all in the past, and he wants to ensure that no doubts remain after he’s done with Merab at UFC 316.
With that singular goal in mind, he has made some significant changes to his lifestyle. One of the biggest shifts? He’s completely ditched social media. “It’s only been three months, but I feel like it’s changed my life,” he said. No scrolling, no posting—just pure focus.
But that’s not all. He’s also cut out gaming, weed, and yes, even no solo action—saying he hasn’t “j’d the peen” once in 2025.
O’Malley’s all-in on this fight, and if these lifestyle changes pay off, UFC 316 might be the comeback chapter he’s been working toward.
