Imago
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – AUGUST 14: Sean O’Malley poses on the scale during the UFC 252 weigh-in at UFC APEX on August 14, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
Imago
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – AUGUST 14: Sean O’Malley poses on the scale during the UFC 252 weigh-in at UFC APEX on August 14, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
The mid-card attraction for UFC 260 comes in as a bantamweight title bout between Sean O’Malley and Thomas Almeida. Both men are coming off losses and securing a win on Saturday night will be of utmost importance. Chiefly, the aforementioned fight card has garnered a lot of buzz for the main event and will draw in plenty of eyeballs.
The UFC’s 135-pound division is stacked to the brim with exciting match-ups leading up to a busy title landscape. The newly minted champion Aljamain Sterling has his next appointment lined up with Petr Yan. However, the other contenders are jostling for a spot amidst a highly competitive war zone comprising veterans and upstarts.
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UFC 260: Sean O’Malley vs Thomas Almeida
‘Sugar’ Sean lost his status as an undefeated prospect in his last outing against Marlon Vera at UFC 252. ‘Chito’ landed a calf kick that immobilized O’Malley to earn the TKO nod. However, O’Malley has played off the defeat as a fluke and is coming into the contest with Almeida as a ‘mentally undefeated’ fighter.
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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)
Sean O’Malley has one-punch KO power and has proven his prowess on the feet on more than one occasion. His striking is loose, and he’s able to step in and out of range rather effectively without getting checked. Despite a solid ground game, he’d be well advised to stay off the mat against ‘Thominhas’.
Thomas Almeida is potentially fighting for his spot on the roster as he’s on a three-fight skid and he’s 4-1 in his last five. Prior to the downturn, he was on a 21-fight win streak with solid wins over names such as Anthony Birchak and Brad Pickett, to name a few. He’s struggled against the upper echelon and will be keen on making his mark against O’Malley.
Almeida has solid checks for leg kicks and usually poses a good defense against traditional Muay-Thai strikers. However, O’Malley puts forth unreliable movements to make sure that his opponent is constantly receiving new looks. ‘Thominhas’ will want to avoid a firefight as his chin has shown a slight decline in recent years.
Prediction: Sean O’Malley to claim a second-round TKO win
