"In hindsight, I should have waited” -Aljamain Sterling shares displeasure with PPV numbers from Sean O'Malley fight
Sean O'Malley is viewed as one of MMA's brightest stars, from his popular presence online to his ability to deliver inside the octagon.
But according to his previous opponent, Aljamain Sterling, 'Sugar' is not the pay-per-view draw that he claims to be.
In August, Sterling and O'Malley faced off for the bantamweight title at UFC 292, where 'Funk Master' was defeated via KO in Round 2. But earlier this week, the former champion discussed the surprisingly low PPV buys for his clash with Sean O'Malley, and shared his regret at accepting the bout.
Many were surprised that Sterling accepted the UFC 292 clash with 'Sugar', given that 'Funk Master' had faced Henry Cejudo in a five-round war in May.
But Aljamain Sterling clearly thought that the PPV sales would make up for the risky decision.
After the release of an MMAMania.com article about the former champion's discussion of the UFC 292 sales, Sterling took to X to share that Sean O'Malley could become a massive PPV draw, depending on certain things.
He wrote this:
"Context: In hindsight, I should’ve waited. Reality: I didn’t wait. Numbers weren’t the highest PPV I been on as a Champ. Reality: Not my worse PPV pay, but the rush was NOT worth the squeeze in the end. O’Malley PPV draw power can rise IF he can keep winning- but impressively, like anyone else. No hate. No salt. Just facts. Good luck to Chito and Sean. Merry Christmas."
See the post below:
Sean O'Malley believes Conor McGregor's delayed return could be due to a contract issue
Conor McGregor has yet to return to action after breaking his leg against Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in July 2021.
Following the announcement that he and Michael Chandler would feature as the coaches for season 31 of The Ultimate Fighter, many expected him to face-off against 'Iron' after the show's finale in August.
But the Irishman is yet to have an official fight announcement, and recently shared that his patience is wearing thin. But Sean O'Malley believes that McGregor's contract with the UFC may be hindering his potential comeback.
During a recent episode of the TimboSugaShow, the bantamweight champion said:
"Conor is supposedly begging for a fight... I wonder if he's just making so much money per fight that it's really just not beneficial to the UFC. Like, they're losing money when he fights. I wonder if his deal is structured in a way [where the UFC won't make much money]."
Listen to Sean O'Malley's comments below from 2:40: