‘Sugar’ Sean O’Malley had an interesting response to comments recently made about him by former flyweight titleholder Deiveson Figueiredo.
On Saturday (April 13), Figueiredo will make his sophomore appearance in the bantamweight division, leading off UFC 300 opposite former champ Cody Garbrandt at T-Mobile Arena.
Ahead of his highly anticipated return to the Octagon, ‘Deus da Guerra’ suggested during a recent interview that O’Malley wouldn’t make it past his next bantamweight title challenger, Merab Dvalishvili.
“I think this fight between Merab and Sean O’Malley won’t happen,” Figueredo said on MMA Fighting’s Trocação Franca podcast.” In my opinion, I think [O’Malley] is a guy who can’t defend his belt again. If I win this fight [at UFC 300] then there is a possible fight for the belt right? I really want to fight for the belt against Merab. I would give him a very dangerous fight.”
Getting wind of Figueredo’s comment, Sean O’Malley responded in a way that left a lot of fight fans scratching their head.
“Davison fagirito scared of me,” O’Malley wrote in a since-deleted post on X.
Looking past the misspelling of Figueiredo’s name, the blatantly homophobic slur used in reference to the Brazilian was not a particularly good look — which is probably why ‘Sugar’ was quick to delete the comment — especially after O’Malley was recently caught on camera using an antisemitic remark.
Sean O’Malley teasing a September return at The Sphere
O’Malley has not locked in a date for his expected title clash with Merab Dvalishvili, though the Helena, Montana native recently teased a return in September, presumably when the promotion makes its debut inside The Sphere in Las Vegas for UFC 306.
As for Deiveson Figueiredo, the ex-flyweight fought his way into the bantamweight top 10 with a big win over Rob Font in his divisional debut. With a win over Cody Garbrandt at UFC 300, he could find himself next in line for a shot at the 135-pound crown.
