Tag: UFC 252

On This Day: Stipe Miocic defeats Daniel Cormier to earn his last win in the UFC – August 15, 2020

On This Day: Stipe Miocic defeats Daniel Cormier to earn his last win in the UFC - August 15, 2020Four years ago today, Stipe Miocic scored his last UFC victory. Perhaps history will change when the consensus heavyweight…

On This Day: Stipe Miocic defeats Daniel Cormier to earn his last win in the UFC - August 15, 2020

Four years ago today, Stipe Miocic scored his last UFC victory.

Perhaps history will change when the consensus heavyweight GOAT makes his anticipated return to the Octagon this November. But for now, Miocic’s last win went down on August 15, 2020, after stepping into the main event spotlight at UFC 252 to close out his iconic trilogy with Daniel Cormier.

After coming up short against Cormier two years earlier at UFC 226, Miocic struck back with a fourth-round TKO over the former two-division titleholder at UFC 241, leaving the series deadlocked at 1-1. Fast forward almost 12 months to the day, Cormier and Miocic would go at it for a third and final time in total silence due to the COVID-19 pandemic that was already in full swing.

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Still, Miocic and Cormier delivered a final meeting to remember that ultimately saw the Cleveland native come out on top via a unanimous decision, retaining the heavyweight title and establishing himself as perhaps the best fighter in the division’s history.

‘DC’ retires after second straight loss to Stipe miocic

After suffering back-to-back losses against Miocic, that would be all she wrote for Daniel Cormier.

“I’m not interested in fighting for anything but titles and I don’t imagine there’s going to be a title in the future,” Cormier said in a post-fight interview. “That will be it for me. I’ve had a long run, it’s been great, I just fought my last fight for a heavyweight championship and it was a pretty good fight.”

Since then, Cormier has found success as a color commentator and analyst for the UFC. DC’ is also co-host of ESPN’s Good Buy/Bad Guy alongside former three-time UFC title challenger Chael Sonnen.

Miocic, on the other hand, would go on to take another fight against eventual UFC heavyweight king Francis Ngannou. After shutting down ‘The Predator’ in their first meeting in 2018, Miocic was primed to repeat the process at UFC 260. However, Ngannou had other plans.

Less than 60 seconds into the second round, Ngannou blasted Miocic with a big left hand that bent the champ backward, forcing the referee to step in and call for the stoppage.

Stipe Miocic

Since then, the UFC has only produced two fights for the undisputed heavyweight title.

Miocic plans on becoming the division’s only three-time champion when he meets Jon Jones later this year. The two are expected to headline UFC 309 when the promotion makes its annual pit spot in Madison Square Garden. Originally, the two were set to tussle last November, but a pectoral injury forced ‘Bones’ to bow out of the bout.

Sean O’Malley: Why Hasn’t Vera Kicked Anyone Else’s Nerve?

UFC bantamweight Sean O’Malley has questioned the absence of the kick that led to his 2020 defeat against Marlon Vera from the Ecuadorian’s game. The one and only blemish on O’Malley’s professional record came at UFC 252. In the co-main event, the rising star shared the Octagon with now-top-five contender “Chito” Vera. Midway through the…

Continue Reading Sean O’Malley: Why Hasn’t Vera Kicked Anyone Else’s Nerve? at MMA News.

UFC bantamweight Sean O’Malley has questioned the absence of the kick that led to his 2020 defeat against Marlon Vera from the Ecuadorian’s game.

The one and only blemish on O’Malley’s professional record came at UFC 252. In the co-main event, the rising star shared the Octagon with now-top-five contender “Chito” Vera.

Midway through the opening round, a leg kick appeared to connect with O’Malley’s peroneal nerve, causing a rare instance of “drop foot,” which the likes of Henry Cejudo and Michael Chandler have notably suffered from in the past.

After constantly rolling his ankle courtesy of a lack of control and feeling, “Sugar” was eventually sent to the ground, where Vera unloaded with some brutal elbows to force a TKO stoppage.

The MMA community appeared to be largely split on the result. While some gave full credit to “Chito,” and even attributed the kick to skill and placement over luck, others have suggested that without the unlikely connection to the nerve, the fight would have played out very differently.

It’s pretty clear which side of the fence O’Malley sits on…

O’Malley: Another Vera Fight Wouldn’t Be A Rematch

During an interview with ESPN MMA’s Brett Okamoto, O’Malley discussed the prospect of entering the cage with Vera for a second time. According to the Ecuadorian, the Montana native actually turned down a rematch last year.

Although he believes Vera has now “earned” the right to face him again, O’Malley doesn’t think it would be a rematch. That’s because he’s effectively wiped the first meeting from the record in his mind. Citing the way that the fight ended and his injury as the reason for that, “Sugar” sarcastically noted that Vera hasn’t thrown a kick to the nerve since.

“I don’t really feel like it’s a rematch, I don’t think our fight really got to play out at all. He threw a kick, that he hasn’t thrown again. He hasn’t kicked anyone’s nerve again, I don’t know why he hasn’t been doing that,” O’Malley said. “So, I feel like our fight didn’t get to play out, to where it’s like, a rematch. If we fight, it’s gonna be the first time we fight.”

O’Malley went on to assess Vera’s improvements since they shared the cage in 2020. While he acknowledged that “Chito” has developed his skills, the #13-ranked bantamweight did provide a reminder about the Ecuadorian’s loss to José Aldo, as well as the fact he was likely down on the scorecards before a late knockout against Frankie Edgar.

“People are gonna think I’m a hater. I just — he lost to Aldo, he basically lost to Frankie, in my opinion, he was losing on the cards,” said O’Malley. “Lost to Frankie, throws a little kick, lands it. His performance against Rob (Font) was impressive. We all know he’s durable. He’s definitely improving in his skills when you watch him from fight to fight.

“I think he’s improving. He’s obviously improving with each performance. I don’t look at him as super — he’s just durable. He’s got good skills, and he’s getting better, but he’s just f*cking durable, he’s just stupid tough, and that’s dangerous.”

Having emerged victorious in his main event debut last month, Vera has his sights set on bantamweight gold. Meanwhile, O’Malley is gearing up for his first appearance of the year, which is expected to come against top-10 contender Pedro Munhoz at UFC 276.

Should “Sugar” continue his rise up the 135-pound ladder, it seems that a second date with “Chito” is more than likely.

Sean O'Malley & Marlon Vera
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – AUGUST 14: (L-R) Opponents Sean O’Malley and Marlon Vera of Ecuador face off during the UFC 252 weigh-in at UFC APEX on August 14, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

How do you think a rematch between Sean O’Malley and Marlon Vera would play out?

Continue Reading Sean O’Malley: Why Hasn’t Vera Kicked Anyone Else’s Nerve? at MMA News.

Marlon Vera to Sean O’Malley: “You Are A B*tch Forever”

Let’s just say that Marlon Vera did not emerge from his fight with Sean O’Malley with a heightened level of respect for his opponent. At UFC 252, Marlon “Chito” Vera defeated Sean O’Malley via KO/TKO in the first round. A major factor in the fight&#821…

Let’s just say that Marlon Vera did not emerge from his fight with Sean O’Malley with a heightened level of respect for his opponent. At UFC 252, Marlon “Chito” Vera defeated Sean O’Malley via KO/TKO in the first round. A major factor in the fight’s outcome was Sean O’Malley suffering a foot injury during the […]

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Marlon Vera Uninterested In Rematch With ‘Cry Baby B*tch’ Sean O’Malley

VeraWell in the run-up, and certainly after their UFC 252 clash in August, streaking UFC bantamweight contender, Marlon ‘Chito’ Vera and the polarizing, ‘Sugar’ Sean O’Malley had some choice words for each other. Approaching five-months after the clash, Ecuadorian finisher, Vera has distanced himself from a possible rematch with O’Malley, labelling the Montana native a […]

Vera

Well in the run-up, and certainly after their UFC 252 clash in August, streaking UFC bantamweight contender, Marlon ‘Chito’ Vera and the polarizing, ‘Sugar’ Sean O’Malley had some choice words for each other. Approaching five-months after the clash, Ecuadorian finisher, Vera has distanced himself from a possible rematch with O’Malley, labelling the Montana native a “cry baby b*tch“.

Taking bragging-rights in their UFC 252 co-main event clash, Vera managed to become the first to overcome O’Malley in professional mixed martial arts, chopping at the Dana White’s Contender Series product’s right leg, causing a reoccurring injury to flare up, before finishing the youngster with a vicious barrage before the closure of the opening round. 

Vera, who extended his unbeaten run at 135-pounds to six on the bounce with his high-profile co-headliner finish of O’Malley has been catapulted into an even bigger high-stakes clash with recent vacant title challenger, featherweight great, Jose Aldo at UFC Vegas 17 this weekend in Las Vegas. 

Booked in a co-main event outing against the former champion, Vera features beneath a reworked main event consisting of welterweight striking talents, Stephen Thompson, and Geoff Neal.

Currently sitting at #15 in the official bantamweight pile, above the unranked O’Malley, Vera has distanced himself from a potential re-run with O’Malley in the immediate future, claiming there’s no money to be made by rematching the striker — after comparing him to a China-made version of former two-weight world champion, Conor McGregor.

“Let’s be real,” Vera said during a recent interview with TMZ Sports. “There is no big money in the rematch (with O’Malley). First thing, he’s not Conor McGregor. Conor McGregor or Nate Diaz, that’s money. Whoever fights Conor McGregor, that’s money. (Sean) O’Malley is just a lower version of Conor McGregor. He’s a China version of him. He’s made in China. He’s fake. He’s not the same.“

“There’s only one Conor McGregor,” Vera said. “There’s only one Chito Vera. There’s only one Jose Aldo. Once you try to be someone else, you will never be yourself and you will never be able to become what you want to be. If you ask me, there’s no money in a rematch. I won’t get paid any more money if I fight his ass. Don’t get me wrong. Dana White told me, ‘You never refuse a fight’. They know I never refuse a fight. So if they come with a date to fight him or someone else. I’ll take it. I like to make money.“

Vera then continued his verbal barrage toward O’Malley, claiming the 26-year-old will be “a b*tch forever” after he failed to back up his pre-fight trash-talk.

“The guy (Sean O’Malley) is a cry baby,” Vera explained. “He’s a little b*tch. He’s a b*tch once, you’re going to be a b*tch forever. I don’t care about the guy. He was talking all of this crap. If you can’t back it up you better change your game.” (BJPENN.com)

Yet to be booked since his knockout defeat to Vera, O’Malley recently explained how Muay Thai practitioner, Thomas Almeida rejected the opportunity to stand opposite him at UFC 258 on February 13 — but still plans to make his Octagon return sometime in February, nevertheless. 

Marlon Vera Uninterested In Rematch With ‘Cry Baby B*tch’ Sean O’Malley

VeraWell in the run-up, and certainly after their UFC 252 clash in August, streaking UFC bantamweight contender, Marlon ‘Chito’ Vera and the polarizing, ‘Sugar’ Sean O’Malley had some choice words for each other. Approaching five-months after the clash, Ecuadorian finisher, Vera has distanced himself from a possible rematch with O’Malley, labelling the Montana native a […]

Vera

Well in the run-up, and certainly after their UFC 252 clash in August, streaking UFC bantamweight contender, Marlon ‘Chito’ Vera and the polarizing, ‘Sugar’ Sean O’Malley had some choice words for each other. Approaching five-months after the clash, Ecuadorian finisher, Vera has distanced himself from a possible rematch with O’Malley, labelling the Montana native a “cry baby b*tch“.

Taking bragging-rights in their UFC 252 co-main event clash, Vera managed to become the first to overcome O’Malley in professional mixed martial arts, chopping at the Dana White’s Contender Series product’s right leg, causing a reoccurring injury to flare up, before finishing the youngster with a vicious barrage before the closure of the opening round. 

Vera, who extended his unbeaten run at 135-pounds to six on the bounce with his high-profile co-headliner finish of O’Malley has been catapulted into an even bigger high-stakes clash with recent vacant title challenger, featherweight great, Jose Aldo at UFC Vegas 17 this weekend in Las Vegas. 

Booked in a co-main event outing against the former champion, Vera features beneath a reworked main event consisting of welterweight striking talents, Stephen Thompson, and Geoff Neal.

Currently sitting at #15 in the official bantamweight pile, above the unranked O’Malley, Vera has distanced himself from a potential re-run with O’Malley in the immediate future, claiming there’s no money to be made by rematching the striker — after comparing him to a China-made version of former two-weight world champion, Conor McGregor.

“Let’s be real,” Vera said during a recent interview with TMZ Sports. “There is no big money in the rematch (with O’Malley). First thing, he’s not Conor McGregor. Conor McGregor or Nate Diaz, that’s money. Whoever fights Conor McGregor, that’s money. (Sean) O’Malley is just a lower version of Conor McGregor. He’s a China version of him. He’s made in China. He’s fake. He’s not the same.“

“There’s only one Conor McGregor,” Vera said. “There’s only one Chito Vera. There’s only one Jose Aldo. Once you try to be someone else, you will never be yourself and you will never be able to become what you want to be. If you ask me, there’s no money in a rematch. I won’t get paid any more money if I fight his ass. Don’t get me wrong. Dana White told me, ‘You never refuse a fight’. They know I never refuse a fight. So if they come with a date to fight him or someone else. I’ll take it. I like to make money.“

Vera then continued his verbal barrage toward O’Malley, claiming the 26-year-old will be “a b*tch forever” after he failed to back up his pre-fight trash-talk.

“The guy (Sean O’Malley) is a cry baby,” Vera explained. “He’s a little b*tch. He’s a b*tch once, you’re going to be a b*tch forever. I don’t care about the guy. He was talking all of this crap. If you can’t back it up you better change your game.” (BJPENN.com)

Yet to be booked since his knockout defeat to Vera, O’Malley recently explained how Muay Thai practitioner, Thomas Almeida rejected the opportunity to stand opposite him at UFC 258 on February 13 — but still plans to make his Octagon return sometime in February, nevertheless. 

[ARCHIVES] Sean O’Malley Fires Back At Ben Askren For Recent Criticism

Here’s a story reported one year ago today after Sean O’Malley took exception to comments made by Ben Askren. [ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED AUGUST 21, 2020, 2:40 PM] Ben Askren had some harsh criticism for Sean O’Malley after his injury and l…

Here’s a story reported one year ago today after Sean O’Malley took exception to comments made by Ben Askren. [ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED AUGUST 21, 2020, 2:40 PM] Ben Askren had some harsh criticism for Sean O’Malley after his injury and loss at UFC 252 this past weekend, and “Sugar” has finally responded. O’Malley took on Marlon […]

Continue Reading [ARCHIVES] Sean O’Malley Fires Back At Ben Askren For Recent Criticism at MMA News.