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Sean O’Malley Causing a Social Media Stir for the UFC

“When it happened, I was thinking, ‘Is this real?’”

Justin Barrasso

Sean O’Malley Causing a Social Media Stir for the UFC
Sean O’Malley Causing a Social Media Stir for the UFC /

Sean O’Malley By The Numbers

The MMA Notebook runs every Friday.

Sean O’Malley won the bantamweight title on Saturday night at UFC 292, shocking the MMA world with a dominant defeat of Aljamain Sterling.

“When it happened, I was thinking, ‘Is this real? Did this really f------ happen the way I planned it? Am I going to wake up pissed in my hotel room that it was a dream?’” says O’Malley. “Nope, it really f------ happened.”

Ever since the dream became reality, O’Malley has become one of the most recognizable names in the sport.

And the numbers back it up.

Since the TKO title win, O’Malley has more than…

  • Over 13 million views of the finish from just the UFC’s Twitter account
  • More than 1.3 million views of the O’Malley arm raise, which has become the most viewed content on Dana White’s social media platforms this year
  • Over 8 million video views of the finish against Sterling on YouTube, which has become the second-most viewed social post for UFC in 2023

These are not the caliber of numbers that Conor McGregor generates, but O’Malley’s impact on social media has been astounding. His personality only enhances his popularity, and the fact that he delivered in the cage against someone the elite caliber of Sterling was the moment he needed to prove he belonged in the spotlight.

Only 28, there is no limit to how great his rise can be, permitting he keeps winning.

There is an internal push within the UFC to have O’Malley fight before the end of the year. Matching him up against a striker like Chito Vera would make more sense than a grappler like Merab Dvalishvili, and there is no hurry to book a rematch against Sterling. A bout against Vera would heighten the chances of prolonging O’Malley’s title run, providing even more room for his popularity to grow.

But as this stage, there is no sense is discounting O’Malley. He has overcome every challenge placed in front of him, a trend that the UFC would undoubtedly relish.

****

The Pick ‘Em Section:

UFC Fight Night featherweight bout: Max Holloway vs. The Korean Zombie

Pick: Max Holloway

UFC Fight Night light heavyweight bout: Anthony Smith vs. Ryan Spann

Pick: Ryan Spann

UFC Fight Night women’s flyweight bout: Erin Blanchfield vs. Taila Santos
Pick: Erin Blanchfield

UFC Fight Night featherweight bout: Alex Caceres vs. Giga Chikadze

Pick: Giga Chikadze

UFC Fight Night bantamweight bout: Rinya Nakamura vs. Fernie Garcia

Pick: Rinya Nakamura

Last week: 4-1

2023 record: 92-55

Published
Justin Barrasso
JUSTIN BARRASSO

Justin Barrasso has been writing for Sports Illustrated since 2014. While his primary focus is pro wrestling and MMA, he has also covered MLB, NBA, and the NFL. He can be reached at JBarrasso@gmail.com and followed on Twitter @JustinBarrasso.

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