Tag: Sean O’Malley

Sean O’Malley Has “Learned” Not To Speak Negatively About Fighter Pay

Sean O’Malley says he should be taking it easy on bashing the UFC pay system, but he still wants his fair share. Sean O’Malley is one of the more popular fighters on the UFC roster. He is loved by many fans and gets a lot of recognition from the media. He demands attention inside the…

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Sean O’Malley says he should be taking it easy on bashing the UFC pay system, but he still wants his fair share.

Sean O’Malley is one of the more popular fighters on the UFC roster. He is loved by many fans and gets a lot of recognition from the media. He demands attention inside the cage and out, and that makes him marketable to the UFC. O’Malley knows all this and would like to see his pay reflect what he brings to the table.

O’Malley spoke recently about fighter pay. The topic has been at the forefront of MMA discussion as of late and O’Malley gave his thought about it. He believes that fighters who don’t put up numbers are not going to be paid well. However, he knows that he is a draw and wants to be paid as such.

But perhaps his speaking publicly about this is not the right way to go about getting his wishes.

“It’s a good question, I get asked it a lot. I learned to not say anything negative about it. This will probably get click-baited, ‘Sean doesn’t think the UFC pays him’ or some s’, but like a lot of the times, yeah. I’m in a different position where I have two fights left in my contract,” O’Malley said on his podcast, Timbo Sugar Show (via Sportskeeda). “The contract I’m on right now, I get paid decent, but in two fights, Dana went on record and said, ‘Hey, we need to f–ing pay him’ which is rare because Dana never says that. So I think I’m going to get a good contract after these two fights.”

Fighter pay was not the only money topic O’Malley weighted in on recently, as he spoke about the rise in PPV prices as well. Too much criticism is not good for any employee, and it seems that is what O’Malley is getting at. However, he is not just going to lay down and allow the UFC to steamroll him. He wants to be paid like one of the more important fighters because he believes that’s what he is.

“That’s why I argue that I should be getting f—ing paid more. Because dude, I mean realistically, whoever I’m fighting next, I don’t have to sell that fight because I’m not gonna get paid any more if five people watch it or a million people watch it,” O’Malley explained. “There should be incentives there… You do if you’re in the main event and you get pay-per-view points. Like Izzy [Israel Adesanya] will probably get pay-per-view points because he’s the champ. Robert Whittaker probably won’t because he’s fighting for the belt. But like even in my position, I should get pay-per-view points because I can sell fights.”

O’Malley recently saw his way into the top 15 of the bantamweight rankings. However, despite not being ranked until recently, he has been featured on six main cards and all on PPV events, once he was even in the co-main.

O’Malley definitely has drawing power, and he plans to use it to his advantage. All things considered, it would seem unlikely that the UFC will not be paying up.

Do you think Sean O’Malley has a point about fighters getting paid, and himself needing more?

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Sean O’Malley: The UFC Could Lose Its Top Stars & Still Be The Best

Rising UFC bantamweight star Sean O’Malley believes the UFC would remain the best MMA promotion, even if its top stars departed. Not too long ago, serious talk surrounding fighter pay and the possibility of elite stars exploring free agency would have been largely unheard of, bar a few “rebels” in that regard. Now, the topic…

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Rising UFC bantamweight star Sean O’Malley believes the UFC would remain the best MMA promotion, even if its top stars departed.

Not too long ago, serious talk surrounding fighter pay and the possibility of elite stars exploring free agency would have been largely unheard of, bar a few “rebels” in that regard. Now, the topic is one of the most widely debated and discussed in the sport by fans, pundits, and fighters.

The man behind the latest surge for additional contractual benefits is “the baddest man on the planet,” Francis Ngannou. Leading up to the first pay-per-view of 2022, the heavyweight champion’s quarrel with the UFC was public, with his manager suggesting it goes far beyond just money.

Ngannou’s unification showdown with Ciryl Gane at UFC 270 represented the last fight on his deal. While a defeat would have likely seen him depart the promotion, a victory would secure a strong negotiation position, both in the context of his own desires, and the greater pursuit of improved contracts for fighters on MMA’s biggest stage.

After five rounds in Anaheim, “The Predator” accomplished the latter.

From Dana White’s Octagon and press conference absence following the main event to the revelations since, including a legal threat sent to Ngannou’s team prior to the event and the undisputed titleholder’s willingness to do “whatever it takes” to get what he wants, it’s clear the tension and uncertainty around Ngannou’s future have intensified since UFC 270.

With the promotion facing the possible departure of its heavyweight champ later this year, renowned MMA journalist Ariel Helwani pondered whether this could set the tone and get the ball rolling for a mass exodus of UFC stars.

Israel Adesanya, Nate Diaz, and Conor McGregor are likely to fight out their active deals this year. With that in mind, Helwani questioned what would happen if they all decided to test the waters of free agency.

According to Sean O’Malley, not much…

During a recent episode of his YouTube podcast, the #12-ranked 135lber suggested the UFC could lose all of its top stars and still remain the best promotion in the sport of MMA.

“The UFC could lose all those motherf*****s and still be the best,” said O’Malley. “They’ll still have the biggest names, still do the biggest numbers, it’s crazy… I think the UFC does it the best.” (h/t Sportskeeda)

O’Malley Defended Dana White On Fighter Pay

O’Malley’s comments come after he defended Dana White and the UFC’s stance amid the rising controversy on the current fighter pay structure.

While many point to the discrepancy between MMA and boxing, and the fact the lowest purses on UFC cards see fighters walk away with as little as $12,000, “Sugar” thinks the debate is as simple as ‘take home what you bring in’.

“Dude, like I don’t even blame Dana. It’s like, some of these f*cking people have zero following. They’re not making the UFC one hundred thousand,” O’Malley said during an episode of the TimboSugarShow. “I mean, they’re not making the UFC fifty thousand. They’re not making the UFC any money really. But that’s from a business perspective, from Dana’s business perspective, I can see that.” 

O’Malley was last in action at UFC 269 in December, where he impressively finished Raulian Paiva via first-round TKO. As well as earning a place in the rankings, the Montana native seemingly secured a handsome pay rise, as teased by Dana White in the aftermath of the event.

While Ngannou and perhaps a number of others will be considering a move away from the UFC this year, one man who appears more than happy with his current situation is O’Malley. If a mass exodus of stars does happen, “Sugar” certainly expects to still be part of the “best” promotion in MMA.

Do you agree with Sean O’Malley? Could the UFC lose its top stars and remain the MMA leader?

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Sean O’Malley Prefers Not To Share A Card With Conor McGregor Again

Sean O'Malley, Conor McGregorUFC bantamweight contender Sean O’Malley wants the spotlight all to himself as he moves forward in his UFC career. O’Malley won three in a row in 2021 to get right back in the thick of things in the bantamweight division. His lone defeat in the UFC came against Marlon Vera at UFC 252. As O’Malley […]

Sean O'Malley, Conor McGregor

UFC bantamweight contender Sean O’Malley wants the spotlight all to himself as he moves forward in his UFC career.

O’Malley won three in a row in 2021 to get right back in the thick of things in the bantamweight division. His lone defeat in the UFC came against Marlon Vera at UFC 252.

As O’Malley continues to develop his game in the octagon, he’s also looking to develop his brand and star power. He enters 2022 in the UFC bantamweight rankings and could be on the verge of a title shot with a few more victories.

This is why O’Malley no longer wants to be on a Conor McGregor card and share the spotlight with another promotional superstar. During a recent interview with MMA journalist Helen Yee, he explained why his preference is to be on a smaller pay-per-view or fight night card than to be on a McGregor card.

Sean O’Malley Explains Why He Doesn’t Want To Share Card With Conor McGregor

“You know, I would rather fight with less attention on the card,” O’Malley said. “I would rather fight like on a non-Conor card, because no matter what even if I go out there and perform beautifully, and Conor breaks his foot or whatever, all the [media sites], ESPN, Sports Center, everything’s going to pick up Conor…” (h/t Bloody Elbow)

O’Malley and McGregor have respect for one another, as evidenced by their brief interaction at an NFL game in 2021. O’Malley has previously said that he models certain aspects of his game after the former UFC double champion.

O’Malley fought on the latest McGregor card at UFC 264, dominantly finishing Kris Moutinho. He followed it up with a first-round knockout over Raulian Paiva to wrap up 2021.

O’Malley is targeting a return to the UFC sometime this summer, possibly for the promotion’s International Fight Week in July. As he continues to move closer to a title shot, O’Malley wants to be treated like the massive star he is.

What are your thoughts on Sean O’Malley’s comments?

O’Malley Shares Why He Doesn’t Want To Be On A McGregor Card Again

UFC bantamweight contender Sean O’Malley has revealed why he’s not keen on sharing cards with MMA’s biggest superstar Conor McGregor. In 2021, O’Malley rebounded from his first defeat in professional MMA with three wins, three finishes, and three bonuses in as many appearances, all of which helped “Sugar” rise into the 135-pound rankings. As far…

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UFC bantamweight contender Sean O’Malley has revealed why he’s not keen on sharing cards with MMA’s biggest superstar Conor McGregor.

In 2021, O’Malley rebounded from his first defeat in professional MMA with three wins, three finishes, and three bonuses in as many appearances, all of which helped “Sugar” rise into the 135-pound rankings. As far as years go, the last 12 months haven’t been too shabby for the Montana native.

While he recorded brutal knockouts against Thomas Almeida and Raulian Paiva, perhaps O’Malley’s most complete performance of 2021 came against promotional newcomer Kris Moutinho at UFC 264, a pay-per-view headlined by McGregor and Dustin Poirier’s trilogy clash.

On his way to a third-round TKO stoppage, which came with less than 30 seconds until the final horn, O’Malley broke records with his slick striking and opened the event’s main card in Fight of the Night style.

O’Malley: I’m Bigger Than Everyone But McGregor

While the majority of fighters on the UFC roster would love to be on a card headlined by McGregor given the incredible number of eyes and exposure drawn to it, O’Malley sees things differently.

“Sugar” has never shied away from expressing his thoughts on his own star power, something he recently put on display during an interview with Helen Yee.

Believing he no longer needs the help of McGregor to bring fans’ attention to his performances, O’Malley suggested he’d much rather be the main attraction, rather than the Irishman’s understudy.

Given his belief that no one other than the former two-divison UFC champion sits above him when it comes to stardom and drawing power, O’Malley expects to be the lead interest if he avoids sharing cards with McGregor.

“I’d rather fight with less attention on the card. I’d rather fight on a non-Conor card,” said O’Malley. “Because no matter what, even if I go out there and perform beautifully and (Conor) breaks his foot or whatever, it’s all the ESPN, Sportscenter, everything’s just gonna pick up Conor. So for me, I’d prefer to be on a smaller card—basically not Conor. I feel like everyone else I’m bigger than.”

Having accelerated his rise up the bantamweight ladder in 2021, O’Malley will hope to join the elite at 135 pounds when he returns to the cage this year.

Given the thumb injury he suffered versus Paiva in December and his desire to fight in Las Vegas, it appears fans could be waiting until the summer to see “Sugar” throw down next.

Do you agree with Sean O’Malley? Is he the second-biggest name in the UFC?

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O’Malley Expects “Smart” Sterling To Have A Better Plan In Yan Rematch

Rising UFC bantamweight star Sean O’Malley has given his take on the upcoming unification showdown between champion Aljamain Sterling and interim titleholder Petr Yan. Since their controversial clash at UFC 259 last March, which saw Sterling crowned champion via disqualification, a rematch between “Funk Master” and Yan has been inevitable. While it may have been […]

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Rising UFC bantamweight star Sean O’Malley has given his take on the upcoming unification showdown between champion Aljamain Sterling and interim titleholder Petr Yan.

Since their controversial clash at UFC 259 last March, which saw Sterling crowned champion via disqualification, a rematch between “Funk Master” and Yan has been inevitable.

While it may have been initially delayed after Sterling underwent neck surgery and later pulled off the UFC 267 card last October, we finally appear set to see the two rivals settle their score inside the Octagon.

After Alexander Volkanovski’s next defense was moved from UFC 272 to UFC 273, the upcoming bantamweight title fight went with it. Yan and Sterling will now throw down for all the marbles on April 9.

O’Malley Believes Sterling Has The Skills To Beat Yan

Given the fact Yan appeared to be on his way to a comfortable victory in their first clash and has since had interim gold wrapped around his waist following an impeccable performance against Cory Sandhagen in Abu Dhabi, it’s unsurprising that “No Mercy” is being considered the favorite ahead of the rematch.

But while the Russian is in hot form and is yet to be beaten in the UFC outside of his DQ setback, one ranked 135lber is warning against counting Sterling out.

During an appearance on Michael Bisping’s Believe You Me podcast earlier this month, O’Malley insisted Sterling is too “smart” to make the same mistakes and follow the same game plan he brought into UFC 259 last year. While “Sugar” doesn’t necessarily believe “Funk Master” will beat Yan, he does believe the champ has the tools to do it.

“I do-ish (see the rematch going down the same way). But I also think Aljamain is smart. He’s not a stupid guy. He’s very, very high level, his résumé speaks for itself,” O’Malley said. “I think he went in with the wrong game plan (at UFC 259). He went in and gassed out in a couple rounds. If you watch Petr’s fights, you know he’s gonna cruise for a little bit, try to figure you out, and then start putting on the pressure in the later rounds. He does that every fight.

“Aljamain Sterling’s gotta see that, gotta recognize that, and come in with a different game plan,” added O’Malley. “I think Aljamain has skills, and he has the skills; he could beat Petr. I don’t necessarily see it happening, but I’m not counting him out. He’s a top, top bantamweight for a reason, and I think it’s gonna be a very interesting fight.”

While his status as champion has been disputed and looked down upon by some, Sterling’s ability can’t be denied, as was proven during his run before facing Yan. His five straight victories prior to UFC 259 included triumphs against Sandhagen, Pedro Munhoz, Jimmie Rivera, and Cody Stamann.

While Yan will be looking to regain the undisputed belt he doesn’t believe he rightfully lost, Sterling will be hoping to prove many in the MMA community wrong at UFC 273 and legitimize his place on the bantamweight mountaintop.

Who do you think will leave UFC 273 as the undisputed bantamweight king, Aljamain Sterling or Petr Yan?

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Said Nurmagomedov Claims O’Malley Hasn’t Responded To Fight Offers

Said Nurmagomedov is looking to fight Sean O’Malley next. Nurmagomedov picked up the biggest win of his UFC career on Saturday night at UFC 270 as he submitted Cody Stamann in less than a minute. The win put him to 4-1 in the UFC and is now on a two-fight winning streak. After the win, […]

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Said Nurmagomedov is looking to fight Sean O’Malley next.

Nurmagomedov picked up the biggest win of his UFC career on Saturday night at UFC 270 as he submitted Cody Stamann in less than a minute. The win put him to 4-1 in the UFC and is now on a two-fight winning streak.

After the win, Nurmagomedov said he wanted to return in April and had targeted O’Malley or Marlon Vera.

“I want to fight before Ramadan,” Nurmagomedov said after UFC 270. “I’m ready to be back soon. I also heard that the (UFC) is going to be in Brooklyn on April 9, and I want to fight there… Any top opponent. I’ve talked about ‘Chito’ Vera before, but any top opponent.”

Although he mentioned Vera, Nurmagomedov now took to social media to call out O’Malley and says he has been offered the fan-favorite twice.

“Hey @SugaSeanMMA UFC offer you to me 2 times, your chicken ass never responded run. What we’re gonna do now? I wanna kill your hype,” Nurmagomedov wrote on social media.

Although Nurmagomedov claims he has been offered to fight O’Malley, “Suga” has not responded so it’s uncertain if that is true. It also seems unlikely that O’Malley would take a step down to fight someone lesser-known after being ranked and calling out big names like Dominick Cruz, Cody Garbrandt, and Rob Font among others.

If he doesn’t get the fight, Said Nurmagomedov hopes he can fight before Ramadan and face a big-name opponent. He could very well face a ranked opponent, as he likely deserves the chance to enter the top-15 after his last performance, but it probably won’t be against O’Malley. “Suga” also has a hand injury and has said he wants to fight in the summer in Las Vegas.

Do you think the UFC will book Said Nurmagomedov vs. Sean O’Malley?

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