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‘Sugar’ Sean O’Malley shares screenshot from fabled sparring session with UFC 301’s Alexandre Pantoja

Ahead of Alexandre Pantoja’s next flyweight title defense, ‘Sugar’ Sean O’Malley released a screenshot from a past sparring session…

Ahead of Alexandre Pantoja’s next flyweight title defense, ‘Sugar’ Sean O’Malley released a screenshot from a past sparring session between the two titleholders.

This Saturday night, Pantoja puts his 125-pound crown on the line against unlikely title challenger Steve Erceg in the UFC 301 headliner in Rio de Janeiro.

The fight comes five months removed from a successful defense against Brandon Royval at UFC 290 in December.

Days before their highly anticipated clash in Brazil, Sean O’Malley shared an image from a 2015 sparring session where ‘Sugar’ is said to have folded ‘The Cannibal’ with a perfectly placed liver shot.

Sean O'Malley sparring Alexandre Pantoja

At that point, Pantoja had not yet made his UFC debut but already competed in 18 fights as a professional mixed martial artist whereas O’Malley turned pro the same year he threw hands with Pantoja in the gym.

Tim Welch Reveals How Sean O’Malley Put Down Alexandre Pantoja

Sean O’Malley’s longtime coach Tim Welch offered some insight into the incident on his YouTube channel, confirming that ‘Sugar’ promptly put Pantoja down during the encounter.

“[He wasn’t] really in fight camp at all,” Welch said on his YouTube channel. “Going to sparring to get a few rounds in and Henry [Cejudo] is like, ‘Hey, you want to spar this guy?’

“So Sean says ‘Yeah, I’ll spar him.’ They spar one round, Sean comes out on a rip, puts him down. Puts him down in the first minute. Now mind you this is — I don’t even remember what year this is — I don’t even think Sean was a professional yet, he might have been a professional just breaking in. Sean comes out there, bounces around, young buck. Boom, hits him with a liver shot, puts him down.

“Pantoja has to stop, he has to wave it off, go over to Henry, kneel down, call it off. I mean there’s a video, never released video but he puts him down” (h/t MMA Mania).

‘Beast’ Mode! Khamzat Now Training With ‘MVP’

Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Khamzat Chimaev is learning striking from Michael Page … or Maybe “Venom” is getting a lesson in wrestling from “Borz.” Either way, two already-dangerous fighters are loo…

UFC 294 Open Workout — Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Khamzat Chimaev is learning striking from Michael Page … or Maybe “Venom” is getting a lesson in wrestling from “Borz.” Either way, two already-dangerous fighters are looking to level up with the help of one another in the middleweight and welterweight divisions, respectively.

“Pleasure to train alongside such a beast,” Page wrote on Instagram.

Page, 37, is currently unbooked at the time of this writing, probably because of all those bad hamstrings, but Chimaev is gearing up for his five-round headliner opposite ex-middleweight champion Robert Whittaker at UFC Saudi Arabia in June.

Perhaps Page (22-2) can help Chimaev avoid a “disastrous” performance.

Chimaev (13-0) has not seen action since capturing a majority decision victory over ex-welterweight titleholder Kamaru Usman as part of the UFC 294 pay-per-view (PPV) last fall, his lone appearance after strangling Kevin Holland at UFC 279 back in late 2022.

And he’s facing a very “big dude.”

Whittaker (25-7), four years older than Chimaev at 33, is coming off a unanimous decision victory over Paulo Costa at UFC 298 earlier this year in Anaheim. “The Reaper” is 2-2 over the last couple of years but remains ranked No. 3 in the crowded middleweight division.

Here’s a gym shot, courtesy of Tam Khan:

To see who else is fighting at UFC Saudi Arabia on June 22 click here.

Mateusz Gamrot offers to fight UFC star Charles Oliveira in July summer return: ‘Let’s go, I’m ready’

Confirming plans to make a return to the Octagon this summer following last month’s close loss to common-foe, Arman…

Confirming plans to make a return to the Octagon this summer following last month’s close loss to common-foe, Arman Tsarukyan, ex-champion, Charles Oliveira has been offered a July showdown by Polish contender, Mateusz Gamrot.

Oliveira, the current number two ranked contender, has been sidelined since he dropped a close, split decision loss to the above-mentioned, Tsarukyan last month on the main card of UFC 300 – claiming in the time since that he likely should have won the bout on the judge’s scorecards.

Charles Oliveira releases statement after UFC 300 loss the lion is still hungry — Mandatory Credit: Carmen Mandato

As for Gamrot, the former duel-weight KSW champion, who himself holds a close main event judging win of his own over Armenian force, Tsarukyan, most recently turned in a unanimous decision win over former champion, Rafael dos Anjos – which came as his third straight victory.

Mateusz Gamrot offers Charles Oliveira July return

Sharing his desire to land a return as soon as July after his coaching team urged him against a targeted comeback at UFC 303 at the end of June during International Fight Week, Oliveira even welcomed the prospect of a move to welterweight.

“I didn’t break a sweat [at UFC 300],” Charles Oliveira said. “So I just left wanting to fight and still continue with that mentality of fighting. I wanted to fight in International Fight Week, which is in June, and [Diego] Lima stopped me, said ‘Calm down, breathe’.”

Charles Oliveira weighs up welterweight leap after UFC 300 loss why not move up and do a big fight — Mandatory Credit: Per Haljestam – USA TODAY Sports

“The team said to take a breath, so that’s what I’m doing,” Charles Oliveira explained. “I’m breathing, I’m calm, but I want to fight in July or August.”

However, offering Oliveira a route to a potential little charge at his lightweight home, the above-mentioned, Gamrot insisted he would be ready to fight the Sao Paulo finishing ace as soon as July.

Mateusz Gamrot backup fighter for UFC 294 title fight Islam Makhachev and Charles Oliveira — Mandatory Credit: Zuffa LLC

@CharlesDoBronx let’s go!!!” Mateusz Gamrot posted on his official X account. “I’m ready in July/August.”

Who wins in a potential title-eliminator: Charles Oliveira or Mateusz Gamrot?

Mateusz Gamrot offers to fight UFC star Charles Oliveira in July summer return: ‘Let’s go, I’m ready’

Confirming plans to make a return to the Octagon this summer following last month’s close loss to common-foe, Arman…

Mateusz Gamrot offers Charles Oliveira July return

“The team said to take a breath, so that’s what I’m doing,” Charles Oliveira explained. “I’m breathing, I’m calm, but I want to fight in July or August.”

However, offering Oliveira a route to a potential little charge at his lightweight home, the above-mentioned, Gamrot insisted he would be ready to fight the Sao Paulo finishing ace as soon as July.

@CharlesDoBronx let’s go!!!” Mateusz Gamrot posted on his official X account. “I’m ready in July/August.”

Who wins in a potential title-eliminator: Charles Oliveira or Mateusz Gamrot?

Mateusz Gamrot offers to fight UFC star Charles Oliveira in July summer return: ‘Let’s go, I’m ready’

Confirming plans to make a return to the Octagon this summer following last month’s close loss to common-foe, Arman…

Mateusz Gamrot offers Charles Oliveira July return

“The team said to take a breath, so that’s what I’m doing,” Charles Oliveira explained. “I’m breathing, I’m calm, but I want to fight in July or August.”

However, offering Oliveira a route to a potential little charge at his lightweight home, the above-mentioned, Gamrot insisted he would be ready to fight the Sao Paulo finishing ace as soon as July.

@CharlesDoBronx let’s go!!!” Mateusz Gamrot posted on his official X account. “I’m ready in July/August.”

Who wins in a potential title-eliminator: Charles Oliveira or Mateusz Gamrot?

Mexican Merab Has UF-Si Challenge For ‘Suga’

UFC fighters seem to have a fascination with doing “weird sh*t” in the desert.
Today’s offering comes from No. 1-ranked bantamweight contender Merab Dvalishvili, who is challenging reigning 135-pound titleholder Sean O’Malley to…

UFC fighters seem to have a fascination with doing “weird sh*t” in the desert.

Today’s offering comes from No. 1-ranked bantamweight contender Merab Dvalishvili, who is challenging reigning 135-pound titleholder Sean O’Malley to a “Sphere” title fight to commemorate Mexican Independence Day on Sept. 16 in Las Vegas.

“Sean, I know you wanna fight in September,” Dvalishvili said. “Let’s make this fight happen for my people on Mexican Independence Day, cabron. Let’s go.”

Fortunately, O’Malley’s body double wasn’t buried in the name of the skit.

O’Malley (18-1, 1 NC) captured the crown by stopping Aljamain Sterling in the UFC 292 main event last August, then returned at UFC 299 in Miami to whoop Marlon Vera. As for Dvalishvili (17-4), he’s coming off a dominant performance against Henry Cejudo at UFC 298 last Feb. in Anaheim, which also came with a pre-fight lesson from the inimitable Professor Merab.

UFC is expected to announce a date and location in the coming weeks.