Newly crowned UFC Bantamweight Champion Sean O’Malley has several options for his first title defense. After his stunning win over Aljamain Sterling at UFC 292, O’Malley called out Marlon “Chito” Vera, but that may not be the match that he wants now.
“I have a lot of options. I know Chito is acting like he earned a title shot, which is absolutely untrue. If he gets a title shot it’s because I picked him; I choose him. And I don’t like the way that he’s been handling it so I might skip over him,” O’Malley said on The Jim Rome Show.”
“Henry Cejudo‘s not really an option coming off a loss. I’d like to just mention how short he is and that I would love to help him with his wrestling defense. Aljo went 0 and 2 against me and I think Aljo took Henry down four times. I would always offer that for whenever Henry wants to come learn some stuff, some wrestling from me. He’s not really an option but I like to bring up his name because I know he gets fired up,” O’Malley continued.
“Pantoja, Alexandre Pantoja, the 125-pound champion, we have history. He has been calling me out. Merab’s [Dvalishvil] there. Cory’s [Sandhagen] there. I have a lot of options.”
O’Malley would like to fight in December or early 2024. While he’d like to have complete control over whom he faces next, “Suga” admitted that ultimately UFC matchmakers will decide.
“I like to think I have more power but in reality the UFC is going to do what they want. The UFC’s going to book who they want when they want,” he said. “You saw that with Aljo three and a half months before that. He said you’re fighting “Suga” in Boston. Dana’s the man. Dana [White] runs the show. Dan and Hunter [Campbell], they run the show, so I’ll be where they need me to be when they need me to be there. And I’ll do what I do.”
https://www.mmaweekly.com/ufcnews/sean-omalley-contemplating-his-next-opponent
