Sean O'Malley Expects To Be Underdog against Aljamain Sterling, Looking to "Shock The World"

"I think I’m fighting in Boston. Whether he wants to show up and make the biggest payday of his life, that’s up to him.”

Dustin Lewis | May 9, 2023

Sean O'Malley Expects To Be Underdog against Aljamain Sterling, Looking to "Shock The World" /

While Bantamweight Champion Aljamain Sterling was able to retain his title in a bout against Henry Cejudo that went the distance at UFC 288, the action in the Octagon continued after the fight. Shortly after the official decision, top contender Sean O'Malley stepped into the cage to face off with Sterling in a war of words.

If it wasn't already obvious, it's even clearer that the two are on a collision course with one another. There have been some early discussions surrounding a date of August 19 in Boston for the title fight.

During a recent appearance on The MMA Hour, O'Malley said that he hopes that he'll face Sterling at the event but noted that he's planning to compete regardless.

“If they get the venue, if they get Boston, I think the UFC would like to bring me to Boston,” O’Malley said to Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour. “I don’t know how much of a choice Aljamain has. He’s the champ, I’m the No. 1 guy, he didn’t get injured, he’s good. Regardless, I think I’m fighting in Boston. Whether he wants to show up and make the biggest payday of his life, that’s up to him.”

O'Malley got a chance to size up Sterling in the ring on Saturday but he also sat cage-side for the bout. That gave him an ample opportunity to study the champion while analyzing his game during the five rounds against Cejudo.

"Sugar" was impressed with Sterling's conditioning and understands that he'll be the toughest grappler that the young contender has faced to this point in his career. With that being said, O'Malley feels like he'll be ready for whatever Sterling is going to throw at him.

“If anything, I would say his gas tank. Keeping up with Henry for five rounds, that was more impressive than anything," O'Malley said. "I understand how dangerous of an opponent Aljo is. I know his strengths, I know his weaknesses, he could be considered the greatest bantamweight of all time right now with his resume, so I know what I’m getting into. I’m very excited for the challenge and I do believe I have the ability and the skills to go out there and shock the world because I do believe I’m going to be a massive underdog.”

“I think when you look at who he’s beat and how his style is, very grappling heavy, I haven’t really fought a really, really good grappler yet inside the octagon. Obviously, I train with absolute killers. I understand where the strengths and weaknesses are and I do believe I have the skills and I think the outside perspective will be Aljo’s going go out there and do what he did to Cory [Sandhagen]. We’ve got kind of similar body types, so I’ve just got to last longer than 12 seconds, than Cory, and it’s a win. Just jokes."

August will mark roughly ten months since O'Malley's last time stepping into the octagon - a controversial split-decision victory against Petr Yan in Abu Dhabi. He's excited to shake the rust off in a title fight against an opponent that he believes will have plenty of time to recuperate over the summer.

“I’m excited, I’m ready to get back in there,” O’Malley said. “I think September, who knows where that card’s going to be in September? I think August makes sense. That’s 15 weeks, three and a half months, that’s damn near four months. That’s plenty of time for him to take a couple of weeks off, get back in there."

“He did say he’s going to fold me in one round, so I don’t even know why he would train. Maybe take 14 weeks off, train fight week, and try to get the job done there.”

O'Malley is ranked as the No. 2 Bantamweight contender according to the UFC. He holds a career record of 16-1 that includes 11 knockouts. His lone defeat came against Marlon Vera at UFC 252 in 2020.

Sterling set the Bantamweight record with his third consecutive title defense over the weekend. After winning nine straight fights, his record stands out 23-3. Sterling holds eight victories by submission and three victories by knockout. He hasn't lost since coming up short against Marlon Moraes at UFC Fight Knight in 2017.

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Published May 9, 2023

DUSTIN LEWIS

Lewis joined MMA Knockout when it was founded in 2023. He's also the Editor-In-Chief of NoleGameday and BucsGameday. A graduate of Florida State, Lewis has worked for NG since 2016.