UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’ Malley has revenge on his thoughts as he goes into his first-ever 135-pound title protection in opposition to longtime rival Marlon Vera on the upcoming UFC 299 pay-per-view (PPV) occasion on March 9 in Miami. That’s as a result of “Chito” gave O’Malley his first and solely loss contained in the Octagon, stopping “Suga” by way of technical knockout (TKO) at UFC 252 again in Aug. 2020.
Simply over three years later, the 2 bantamweights will collide for all of the marbles, although O’Malley doesn’t really feel “Chito” has improved sufficient since their first combat to supply up a lot of a problem after they run it again in South Seaside.
“He’s form of peaked,” O’Malley informed The MMA Hour. “I’m higher than this dude. I’m going to go on the market and do what I used to be about to do to him [in our first fight] and put his lights out. He’s good, he’s robust, he’s very sturdy, however that doesn’t get the job executed in opposition to me. You may’t simply be robust, you’ll be able to’t simply be sturdy. I imagine I’m extra expert, quicker, extra correct, and I’m going to go on the market and I simply really feel assured standing in entrance of him.”
Although O’Malley plans to finish the combat early, “Suga” continues to be making ready for an all-out warfare in opposition to the Ecuadorian-born fighter.
“Mentally, bodily, emotionally, I’m making ready for 25 minutes,” the champion continued. “I’m making ready to depart there limping, depart there sore, depart there with my hand damage from his head. So [I’m] making ready for the worst, however realistically, I’m placing this dude’s lights out inside three [rounds].”
O’Malley received the title by knocking out Aljamain Sterling at UFC 292 in Aug. 2023 (highlights right here), enhancing his report to 5-0-1 since shedding to Vera. As for “Chito,” he’s 5-2 since defeating “Suga,” and is coming off a unanimous determination win over Pedro Munhoz, additionally at UFC 292.
To see who else is preventing at UFC 299 click on right here.