The newly crowned UFC bantamweight champion, ‘Sugar’ Sean O’Malley, has been soaring high following his remarkable victory against Aljamain Sterling at UFC 292. Despite ‘Funk Master,’ being the favorite with three title defenses under his belt, O’Malley stunned the MMA world. In the second round, he dropped Sterling with a lightning-quick counter right hand. Then finished the dazed former champion with vicious ground and pound.

Recently, O’Malley made an appearance on Michael Bisping’s podcast, ‘Believe You Me,’ where he delved into various topics, including his victory over Sterling and his aspirations for his next fight. Surprisingly, O’Malley revealed that he initially had different dreams and didn’t plan on becoming a fighter.

Sean O’Malley couldn’t grow enough to reach his goals

During the podcast episode, Bisping asked O’Malley if he had always aspired to be famous and if this aspiration was connected to the fight game or if he had different ambitions when he was younger.

To which O’Malley responded, “No, the first dream I had was being in the NFL. That was like the first dream I had and the first goal, you know? In 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th grade, and then you know, you get into high school and you realize that alright, I’m still pretty small. That ain’t realistic. Um, I was waiting for my, waiting to hit 6’6, never quite happened.”

Bisping humorously added, “Waiting for those growth spurts?”

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O’Malley continued by saying he had never considered fighting. He was also not familiar with sports like kickboxing, MMA, or the UFC. However, at the age of 16, he tried kickboxing, recognizing it as a potential path. O’Malley had a natural athleticism and style that closely resembled what he possesses now.

He added he has been refining and enhancing that style since his teenage years. Shifting the discussion to his next title defense, O’Malley expressed that a rematch with Marlon ‘Chito’ Vera intrigued him the most.

What’s next for ‘Sugar’ and his title reign

At UFC 252, Vera defeated O’Malley via TKO. With controversy surrounding the fight as O’Malley’s leg appeared compromised before the finish. Although O’Malley has since asserted his undefeated status and declined to acknowledge the loss, he admitted during the podcast that a rematch with Vera would likely attract significant fan interest.

He explained in the podcast that the rematch with Marlon Vera had gained significance primarily due to their previous controversial fight. According to him, a poll conducted by Chael Sonnen indicated strong fan interest, with 52 percent favoring a rematch with Vera. O’Malley used this as he emphasized the importance of meeting the fans’ expectations.

While the proposed matchup holds intrigue, its realization remains uncertain. Do you believe Marlon Vera deserves a title shot? Or do you think there are more deserving contenders in the division? We invite you to share your thoughts in the comments below.

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