I've had Conor McGregor vs. Dustin Poirier fight on my card and I felt like the main event - Sean O'Malley
Sean O'Malley has been around in the UFC for five years and counting. He has proved himself to be someone to be reckoned with and has the personality to match. His colorful hairstyles and bold outfits go a treat with his smooth skills on the microphone. Although he has never headlined an event, 'Sugar' hasn't let it deter his stride or swagger. He feels he is the main event even on cards that feature established superstars such as Conor McGregor.
Speaking to BT Sport ahead of his bantamweight showdown with Pedro Munhoz at UFC 276 this weekend, the 27-year-old was asked if he had settled into being a regular part of blockbuster pay-per-view events. O'Malley leaned into his answer in typical fashion:
"Yeah, it feels very normal. My last five-six fights, I feel like I'm the main event. I've had Conor vs. Poirier fight [UFC 264: Poirier vs. McGregor 3] on my card and I felt like the main event, you know. Not to take away from them, but I do feel like the main event everytime."
'Sugar' referenced his bout against Kris Moutinho on the main card of UFC 264: Poirier vs. McGregor 3. He won the fight via knockout after three rounds of combat against an immensely resilient opponent. The two fighters earned Fight of the Night bonuses for their incredible performance.
.@SugaSeanMMA gets a TKO win after an amazing performance 😳
#UFC264
(via @ufc)
https://t.co/eNQKfQLaVv
Despite the main attraction of the event being the Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier fight, Sean O'Malley left his mark on the night. He set the record for the most significant strikes landed in a single bantamweight fight ever in the UFC. Add to that a great post-fight callout and performance bonus, and 'Sugar' is well and truly in the limelight.
Most significant strikes EVER landed in a bantamweight fight by @SugaSeanMMA at #UFC264 😳
R1 - 7️⃣7️⃣
R2 - 7️⃣0️⃣
R3 - 8️⃣3️⃣ https://t.co/oX8UILtIxQ
Sean O'Malley is ready to take on ranked opponents
O'Malley is currently ranked No.13 in the bantamweight division and faces off against No.9-ranked contender Pedro Munhoz at UFC 276. He was asked to address being christened the unranked champion and how it felt to finally take on higher-ranked fighters.
'Sugar' affirmed his readiness to further his reputation in the division:
"I've always been willing to take on the ranked opponents if I got paid fairly. I went with the unranked stuff because that's what people are calling me, making fun of me. I ran with it, new contract, getting paid more. I'm ready."
A win this weekend could put the rest of the division on notice and significantly boost his ranking amongst fellow contenders.
Check out Sean O'Malley's full interview with BT Sport below: