Sean O’Malley is the new UFC bantamweight champion. He claimed the title with a second-round TKO victory over Aljamain Sterling in the main event of UFC 292. O’Malley’s triumph has captured the attention of the world, as he has already become more than just an MMA fighter.
‘Sugar’ has found success outside the promotion through his business ventures and podcasts with his brother and coach, Tim Welch. O’Malley, currently the youngest champion in the UFC, has a strong appeal to the new generation, as seen by his presence at the Montana football team match and the subsequent poll he conducted on social media.
Sean O’Malley drops poll for fans to pick his KO maneuver
Sean O’Malley recently put a poll on X (Formerly Twitter) asking fans about how they want ‘Suga’ to KO Marlon Vera. O’Malley’s interactive fan engagement represents a shift in how combat sports athletes connect with their audience.
The poll has generated anticipation and buzz around O’Malley’s upcoming fight which is most likely against Marlon Vera in December. O’Malley called Vera out after winning the title at UFC 292 by finishing Aljamain Sterling in the second round via TKO. Vera fought in the undercard against Pedro Munhoz in a fight he won by unanimous decision.
O’Malley and Vera have previously fought, with the Ecuadorian winning the fight via finish after a leg kick damaged O’Malley’s peroneal nerve. Vera finished an injured O’Malley, handing the Montana native his first and only professional defeat in MMA. While Aljamain Sterling and Merab Dvalishvili are both clamoring for a title shot, it appears that Vera is locked in as the first title defense for Sean O’Malley.
Sean O’Malley stopped celebrating with Montana football team
Montana’s 17-10 victory over Ferris State delivers a thrilling moment for Griz football fans, but it is the post-game celebration with O’Malley that truly stole the show. After the hard-fought win, the entire Griz football team celebrated with O’Malley.
The team joyfully sang their fight song. The scene in Missoula symbolized the unity that sports foster. The celebration with the UFC bantamweight champion highlighted the deep bonds among the players and their pride in representing their community. It was after this massive victory that O’Malley took to social media to run a poll.
O’Malley is a global superstar for the UFC. UFC 292 headlined by Sterling and O’Malley reportedly garnered north of 500,000 pay-per-view buys. Moreover, he has his signature brand, ‘Suga’ which is an instant success among fans. O’Malley’s finishing sequence at UFC 292 was put on the social media channels of the UFC minutes after it happened.
Do you think Sean O’Malley is the next big thing after Conor McGregor? Comment below!
