Going into UFC 292, there has been plenty of talk about Sean O’Malley and his standing in the bantamweight division. O’Malley challenges Alajmain Sterling for the title this Saturday night live on pay-per-view.
UFC 292: Sean O’Malley Puts People In Seats
Sean O’Malley has put together an incredible run in a short amount of time inside the Octagon.
That has helped O’Malley rise to the top of the bantamweight division, as he sets out to challenge Aljamain Sterling for the title Saturday at UFC 292. The event takes place from the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts.
While some have said that O’Malley has Dana White pushing him to the top, a quick look at his resume shows why he is where he is.
Sean O’Malley Is A Bonus Machine
First, O’Malley is coming off a decision win over former champion Petr Yan. Honestly, that should be enough, as Yan has had quite the little rivalry with Sterling.
That bout, though, earned him his seventh fight-night bonus, as it was named “Fight of the Night” at UFC 280.
Prior to that, O’Malley picked up a bonus in three straight fights between 2018-20 and again in three straight in 2021. A no-contest with Pedro Munhoz and a loss to Marlon Vera are the only times he didn’t earn some extra cash since 2018.
What does that mean? Fight fans come to watch O’Malley, and he delivers for them.
Strong Resume For Sean O’Malley
His overall body of work is a solid one, with Yan, Thomas Almeida and Eddie Wineland among those O’Malley has squared off against.
Of his 16 career wins, 11 have come by way of knockout and one more by submission. He scored a finish in five of six bouts during one stretch of his UFC career.
O’Malley holds high-water marks in the bantamweight division for significant strike accuracy, number of strikes landed per minute and significant strike differential.
He is also tied for second in the division in fight-night bonuses and tied for fourth most knockouts.
The 28-year-old from Montana who now trains out of the MMA Lab has the opportunity of a lifetime to become UFC champion this coming weekend.
