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LAS VEGAS, NV – NOVEMBER 30: Sean O’Malley poses on the scale during the TUF Finale weigh-in inside Park Theater on November 30, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

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LAS VEGAS, NV – NOVEMBER 30: Sean O’Malley poses on the scale during the TUF Finale weigh-in inside Park Theater on November 30, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
UFC 260 on March 27, 2021, is set to host a bantamweight bout with major stakes for both fighters. Sean O’Malley makes his return to the cage after an extended leave of absence following his upset loss in August. ‘Sugar’ is set to take on Thomas Almeida in a fight that is critical to Almeida’s place in the company.
The bout has yet to be placed on the card that will play host to two marquee title fights. Stipe Miocic and Francis Ngannou will collide in the main event in a grudge match that is long overdue. Furthermore, the co-main event features a featherweight title scrap that will see Brian Ortega attempt to dethrone Alexander Volkanovski.
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UFC 260: Sean O’Malley vs Thomas Almeida
O’Malley last fought back at UFC 252, where he wasn’t able to capitalize on his co-main event feature spot. The stand-up technician lost his undefeated record in a shock loss to Marlon Vera in the very fifth round via TKO. Sean O’Malley’s leg was severely compromised, and this virtually disabled any meaningful offense, allowing ‘Chito’ to cruise to victory.

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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – AUGUST 15: (L-R) Marlon Vera of Ecuador punches Sean O’Malley in their bantamweight bout during the UFC 252 event at UFC APEX on August 15, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
Following the loss, O’Malley spoke out on his YouTube channel and dismissed Vera’s win as inconsequential. Chiefly, there were concerns from the MMA community regarding his inability to come to terms with his first career loss. Fans will be on the lookout as to the manner in which he’ll approach his first fight back.
Also Read: Dustin Poirier Gets Angry at Inappropriate Question from UFC Analyst
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Thomas Almeida looking to bounce back
Thomas Almeida is potentially fighting for a spot on the UFC’s roster, considering that he’s on a three-fight skid. The Brazilian was finished in one of the aforementioned losses and he’s not been able to maintain stability. Moreover, this is a far cry from where he was placed in his career before he fought Cody ‘No Love’ Garbrandt.

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ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – OCTOBER 18: (L-R) Jonathan Martinez punches Thomas Almeida of Brazil in their lightweight bout during the UFC Fight Night event inside Flash Forum on UFC Fight Island on October 18, 2020 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
The aforementioned bantamweights throw heavy hands with precision, making for an exciting scrap from the get-go. The bout will probably be placed on the main card, given the level of excitement that comes in with a scrap. There’s an element of intrigue in a technical stand-up battle that also has the potential for violent KO’s at any second.
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Who will you be backing in this bout at UFC 260?
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