Sean O’Malley is undefeated. Well, that’s according to the man himself.
The 27-year-old oozes confidence. From his colorful appearance to his highlight-reel knockouts, the bantamweight has grown into a rising star in the UFC.
Sean O’Malley is scheduled to face UFC veteran Pedro Munhoz, who doesn’t agree with his “undefeated” remarks.
The No. 13 ranked bantamweight has bounced back from his first official UFC loss which came against Marlon Vera in August 2020. He has won his last three fights by defeating Raulian Paiva, Kris Moutinho, and Thomas Almeida.
O’Malley (15-1) has not been shy in expressing his “undefeated” ranking despite having a blemish in his professional MMA record. After his loss at UFC 252, he continued to claim “unbeaten” status by releasing merchandise that supported his statements.
He labeled Vera’s TKO win as a “certified fluke” and credited a leg injury for his loss.
“Mentally I’m undefeated, I didn’t lose because my skills aren’t better than this dude,” O’Malley said on the IMPAULSIVE podcast. “The sugar state athletic commission called it a no contest.”
Pedro Munhoz Disagrees
Speaking to MMA Fighting, Munhoz (19-7, 1 NC) believes O’Malley’s undefeated mindset is actually insecurity.
“He’s from this new generation that is influenced by rappers on social media,” Munhoz said, “so I believe this image of being undefeated is something that defines him as a person and an athlete, but it’s ridiculous. I’m telling you, I think that’s ridiculous. If you’re injured or not, if the fight was stopped or not, you lost, buddy.” H/T MMA Fighting.
Munhoz is currently ranked No. 9 in the world at bantamweight. The São Paulo native is heading into his 19th UFC fight. He made his UFC debut in February 2014 and has fought the likes of Aljamain Sterling, Cody Garbrandt, and Frankie Edgar.
The 35-year-old is looking to rebound from back-to-back losses that came against MMA legends Dominick Cruz and José Aldo. Munhoz’s last win was a rematch against Jimmie Rivera in early 2021.
O’Malley has labeled Munhoz as “Prelim Pedro” leading up to their scrap. It will be O’Malley’s 10th UFC appearance.
The two will square off in Las Vegas during international fight week at UFC 276. The event is headlined by UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya and challenger Jared Cannonier. UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski and Max Halloway will co-headline the event.