The UFC seems interested in being in the Sean O’Malley business, and the feeling looks like it’s mutual for the foreseeable future.
O’Malley (16-1 MMA, 8-1 UFC) has signed a new deal with the UFC, it was announced this past Saturday – and it’s for eight fights. The length is not unheard of, but it certainly would be considered a rarity in MMA.
Also a rarity? UFC president Dana White made it a point to announce it himself on social media at the same time he announced Conor McGregor’s return to coach “The Ultimate Fighter” opposite Michael Chandler. So yeah – O’Malley’s contract is a big deal literally and figuratively.
O’Malley, one of the bantamweight division’s biggest up-and-coming stars, is coming off a controversial split decision win over former champ Petr Yan at UFC 280. Less than 5 percent of the scores tracked by MMADecisions.com scored the fight for O’Malley – and more than one-quarter of them had it 30-27 for Yan.
Earlier in 2022, O’Malley’s fight against Pedro Munhoz was shut down in the second round when an accidental eye poke left Munhoz unable to continue. But O’Malley’s 2021 featured three knockout wins and three bonuses, and his win over Yan was a Fight of the Night bonus winner, too.
Even if O’Malley can get three fights a year, he’s still looking at upwards of three years with the UFC if he wanted to make a different move. But the way he talked about the contract after the fact, maybe O’Malley is making enough bank that staying put won’t ever be an issue.
So did O’Malley make the smartest decision for his career? That’s what we asked this week’s “Spinning Back Clique” panel of Brian “Goze” Garcia, Nolan King and Danny Segura. They broke it down with host “Gorgeous” George Garcia.
Check out their discussion in the video above, and don’t miss this week’s full episode below.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Bellator 290.
Video: Was Sean O’Malley’s new eight-fight UFC deal a smart move?
