From neon pink and highlighter yellow to a full-on rainbow, his ever-changing hairstyles have become the main event of the “Suga Show.” It’s fascinating how these iconic styles drew some fire from the controversial rapper 6ix9ine, whose bold image and rebellious vibe hit home with O’Malley’s game-changing flair. But at UFC 316, the crowd was ready for a knockout twist.

The flash of color was out, making way for a gritty, no-frills version of Sean O’Malley. As he stepped into the Octagon for his rematch against the relentless Merab Dvalishvili, O’Malley rocked his natural brown locks. That was a bold departure from his usual fight-night persona and a look we haven’t seen since 2020.

The unexpected change quickly fueled speculation across the MMA world: why this time Sean O’Malley did not dye his hair? Well, worry not. The former champion has finally broken his silence.

Why didn’t Sean O’Malley dye his hair at UFC 316?

Ahead of his rematch with Merab Dvalishvili, Sean O’Malley became a father for the second time as his longtime partner Danya gave birth to their first son, Mateo. The emotional weight of becoming a parent, coupled with the demands of fatherhood, left ‘Suga’ with little time for things like coloring his hair. After long days of training and time at the gym, he chose to spend his remaining hours with his newborn son.

On top of that, Sean O’Malley’s wife, who also serves as his hairstylist, wasn’t available during that period. Opening up about why he skipped the signature hair dye this time, the former champ explained during his latest interview with Ariel Helwani,

“I just didn’t want to sit and—you know—it’s a long process, and I just really didn’t want to sit in that chair for eight hours…. Well, I mean—Danny, my wife, does my hair too—and she also was kind of like, you know, not in the right… you know, she was only a couple days out of pregnancy too. She didn’t really want to do it either.”

But skipping the hair dye wasn’t the only change Sean O’Malley made ahead of the fight. In an effort to sharpen his focus, he also gave up a number of personal habits and distractions — including social media, masturbation, smoking m–iju–a, and even his favorite pastime, poker — a move he described as a “sacrifice.“

Still, despite all the sacrifices and lifestyle changes, ‘Suga’ fell short in the Octagon. Merab Dvalishvili brutally submitted the former champion, handing him a crushing defeat.

Sean O’Malley reveals the real reason behind quitting w–d, social media, and other bad habits

Fans and critics closely scrutinized the extreme lifestyle changes Sean O’Malley embraced while preparing for his rematch with Merab Dvalishvili. Many believed the desire for revenge solely drove his sacrifices. But as O’Malley later clarified, it wasn’t about ‘The Machine’—it was about resetting his life and finding inner peace. Famed for his flashy persona and extravagant lifestyle, ‘Suga’ had soared to stardom prior to their first encounter.

As the reigning bantamweight champion, he had toppled elite names like Petr Yan and Aljamain Sterling, riding an impressive six-fight win streak. He lived loud, openly chasing dreams of surpassing UFC legend Conor McGregor. But everything unraveled at UFC 306. When Sean O’Malley clashed with Dvalishvili for the first time, the bout shook his confidence to its core. The crushing defeat didn’t just end a streak—it cracked his self-belief and left an emotional scar. It marked the beginning of a deeper personal reckoning for ‘Suga.’

Reflecting on the lifestyle overhaul he made ahead of their UFC 316 rematch, O’Malley shared,

“I didn’t get off social media, quit smoking, and do all this stuff so I could beat Merab. I did all that stuff just to put my mind more at ease, more at peace. Marijuana is great, but I took a couple of puffs when I got home, and I didn’t really like the way it made me feel. It kind of gave me this paranoid feeling. Ever since I had kids it changes almost a little bit… I haven’t been on social media, and that wasn’t something I was gonna do for fight camp so I could beat Merab. That was a life-changing thing.”

So, what do you think about Sean O’Malley’s future in the UFC? Can the former champ bounce back and return to his winning ways? Share your take in the comments below.