UFC 299: How ‘Suga’ Sean O’Malley could derail Alex Volkanovski’s hopes of a rematch with Ilia Topuria

He might not look like much, but ‘Suga’ Sean O’Malley is a killer and, writes BRENDAN BRADFORD, the biggest threat to Alexander Volkanovski’s hopes of booking a rematch with Ilia Topuria.

Brendan Bradford

@1bbradfo

3 min read

March 9, 2024 - 12:00PM

Sean O’Malley defends his bantamweight title at UFC 299 this weekend. Picture: Paul Rutherford/Getty Images

One of the biggest threats to Alexander Volkanovski’s hopes of booking a rematch with Ilia Topuria could come in the form of a skinny 135-pounder with a mop of bright blue and purple curls and hot pink fight trunks.

That man is ‘Suga’ Sean O’Malley.

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He defends his bantamweight world title against longtime rival Marlon ‘Chito’ Vera at UFC 299 in Miami this weekend, but has already hinted at plans on moving up to featherweight.

Topuria, who toppled Volkanovski and claimed the featherweight belt last month, has gone back and forth with O’Malley on social media in the past, and a potential champion vs. champion showdown would be big business for the UFC.

O'Malley and his custom made hot pink fight shorts. Picture: Supplied/Sean O'Malley

Speaking to this masthead just days ahead of his first title defence, O’Malley rated a Topuria super-fight as the top of his list of dream match-ups.

“I have so many options right now – Ilia, Corey (Sandhagen), Merab (Dvalishvili), even boxing,” he said. “I can keep making bantamweight for a while, but if I go up and fight Ilia, I believe I can knock him out.

“He’s a scary little dude, and that fight excites me

“It would be a fun challenge, and it could very well happen next.”

First though, the flamboyant O’Malley must get past ‘Chito’ in a rematch of their bizarre first showdown in 2021().

Vera won that fight via TKO after kicking O’Malley in the leg and causing debilitating nerve damage.

O’Malley is adamant he didn’t really lose that fight, instead calling it payback for dying his hair red, blue and yellow – the colours of the flag of Vera’s native Ecuador.

“That was karma, that’s why my nerve got kicked,” he said. “I was like, ‘goddamnit, I knew I shouldn’t have done that’

“I won’t do that again.”

Marlon Vera finishes an injured O'Malley in 2020. Picture: Getty Images

O’Malley went on a tear after that fight, culminating in clinical knockout of Aljamain Sterling to win the bantamweight title last year.

Meanwhile, Vera has never been stopped in the UFC, and has fought a who’s who of lighter weight fighters.

Still, O’Malley is adamant ‘Chito’ is only getting a shot at the belt because of their history.

“He’s fought Dominic Cruz, Corey Sandhagen, Frankie Edgar, Jose Aldo – he’s fought legends,” O’Malley said of Vera. “But he squeezed past Pedro Munhoz last time out, so it’s not a secret or a surprise that I’m gifting him this title shot.

O’Malley finishes Aljamain Sterling to claim the bantamweight title. Paul Rutherford/Getty Images

“I went out and had a beautiful performance against Aljo – the greatest bantamweight of all time, and the most dangerous fighter in the division for me – then I asked if I could get this fight.

“It will be a bit of closure for everyone.”

O’Malley won’t tempt fate again by mocking Ecuador this time around.

Instead, he’ll wear a pair of hot pink fight trunks, breaking with the tradition of fighters donning standard issue blue, red, black or green fight kits.

He hopes it starts a trend in the UFC, and has urged other champions to start doing the same thing.

“I’m defending the title, it’s my first defence and we’re in Miami,” O’Malley said. “It just makes sense as part of the show and part of the entertainment and the UFC were on board with it.”