Alex Pereira, Khamzat Chimaev, Sean O’Malley; these are the brand new faces of the UFC. Gone are the times of Conor McGregor and Jon Jones who’ve dominated the minds of the followers for a decade or extra. Sean O’Malley will get a particular alternative this weekend at UFC 306, or as they’re branding it, UFC Noche.
UFC 306 is a particular present because it’s probably the most formidable that the promotion has finished. Distinctive from the everyday UFC 100, 200, and 300 and others like UFC 217, the entire level of UFC 306 is to be a spectacle, leisure. Sean O’Malley is sitting on the helm of that leisure, in the primary occasion.
The inevitable rise of Sean O’Malley
From day one, when Sean O’Malley knocked out Alfred Khashakyan on the Contender Collection, we knew that “Suga” Sean was particular. It appears that evidently his rise was inevitable, like Thanos snapping half the universe away. At all times meant to occur, O’Malley took his time, biding it till his time was proper.
The sluggish and deliberate progress of the stardom of O’Malley was fastidiously cultivated by the UFC brass. After seeing the heights of what an MMA fighter’s stardom may be (Conor McGregor and Ronda Rousey), Sean O’Malley is the recipient of the promotional push.
O’Malley labored his means by a decrease tier of fighters like Terrion Ware and Eddie Wineland, to not develop too quick. They had been letting O’Malley simmer to thicken up and grow to be extra of a family title.
O’Malley suffered one hiccup towards Marlon Vera, dropping on what many thought was a fluke. O’Malley saved his head down and continued to win. Thomas Almeida, Kris Mountinho and Raulian Paiva had been subsequent.
O’Malley stumbled with a no contest to Pedro Munhoz and the UFC determined it was time to make a king.
Kingmaking: The conquering
Sean O’Malley and the UFC had been prepared for a brand new king. They booked he versus former champion Petr Yan. Yan was coming off of a loss to Aljamain Sterling and was searching for a fast bounce again.
Sean O’Malley wasn’t imagined to beat Petr Yan. He wasn’t imagined to beat the primary contender. However he did. The struggle was an in depth affair and plenty of thought Yan received. However two of the three judges stated O’Malley was the winner. Now it was his shot on the title.
Aljamain Sterling was the secret. With three title defenses underneath his belt, pun meant, Sterling took on O’Malley at UFC 292. The second spherical noticed O’Malley drop Sterling with a cross and take the title. Sean O’Malley wasn’t imagined to beat Sterling. He’d by no means fought a wrestler like that. However right here he was, holding that title the brand new champion.
The Sean O’Malley period hadn’t begun on this second. Little did we all know, the O’Malley period started some time again. It simply took us a second to comprehend it.
Revenge
The newest part of O’Malley’s profession has been about revenge. He secured revenge over Marlon Vera for handing him his solely profession loss. Merab Dvalishvili, his opponent at UFC 306, is attempting to get revenge for his teammate Aljamain Sterling.
Respiratory down his neck is a litany of different bantamweight contenders like Umar Nurmagomedov and Deiveson Figueiredo.
However make no mistake about it, till he’s dethroned, Sean O’Malley is the A-side in any of the potential matchups coming his means. Umar, Figueiredo, Topuria, Pantoja, you title it. It’s concerning the Suga Present.
Sean O’Malley is headlining probably the most inventive occasion the UFC has ever placed on on the Sphere in Las Vegas. If Dana White is to be believed, a 1 of 1. Sean O’Malley seems to be to show that he, too, is a 1 of 1 fighter.
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