Marc Raimondi, ESPN Body of workers Editor
The UFC’s bantamweight section were given a new coat of paint Saturday night time — in a silhoutte of red.
Sean O’Malley, the cotton-candy-haired, face-tattooed Gen Z striker, knocked out Aljamain Sterling to win the UFC bantamweight title at UFC 292 in Boston, signaling a untouched generation within the weight elegance. The “Suga” generation, to be precise.
Past O’Malley may mop used MMA purists the flawed manner along with his sarcastic trash communicate and flamboyant type, there’s not more doubting his talents. He landed a beautiful pullback right-hand counter to fell Sterling, as slick a method because it will get at the ft at that degree. And he proved what many already believed with the numbers UFC 292 generated: O’Malley is a bona fide famous person, possibly one of the most greatest within the UFC at this time then this weekend.
So, what’s then for the pastel energy puncher and his friends in one of the most UFC’s most fun categories? Let’s take a look at doable first identify defenses, the potential of a boxing crossover struggle and who else may just emerge as a contender at 135 kilos.
What does O’Malley carry to the desk as champion?
He’s the largest famous person the UFC has ever had at bantamweight. He may well be to bantamweight what Conor McGregor used to be to featherweight. It’s no longer that there weren’t just right combatants prior to O’Malley — some may had been even higher. However no person has been in a position to position butts within the seats like O’Malley, and in the event you’re the UFC, when you’ve got your arms crossed for a long “Suga” reign.
UFC president Dana White reported that UFC 292 featured the largest pay-per-view bantamweight primary match in promotion historical past. The gate for the cardboard at TD Ground in Boston used to be $7.25 million. The ones are important numbers, and White credited O’Malley for them. “Suga” did get a celeb’s response all the past, from the scoop convention to the weigh-ins to struggle night time. There used to be incorrect dubiousness who the fanatics had been reacting to probably the most in Boston.
The UFC even did one thing it hasn’t completed in a few years following UFC 292. The promotion posted O’Malley’s TKO end of Sterling in complete on social media and YouTube. The UFC is aware of O’Malley’s target audience: Gen Zers and millennials who’re very on-line. Unquestionably, the speculation used to be to capitalize on O’Malley’s exploding reputation by way of withering out the dramatic spotlight to everybody who sought after to look it. Sly proceed. The video at the UFC’s YouTube web page had 6.1 million perspectives as of Monday morning — that’s simply over 24 hours because the struggle took park and makes it already one of the most lead 3 maximum watched movies printed on that web page within the future past.
Who’s probably the most significance first identify challenger for O’Malley?
Prior to this query is spoke back, let’s reserve in thoughts that the majority significance does no longer essentially cruel perhaps to get the struggle. Many components can resolve who will get identify pictures within the UFC, together with what matchup can produce probably the most cash and timing. On paper, no person has completed greater than Merab Dvalishvili, Sterling’s teammate. He has gained 9 in a row, together with 8 instantly within the bantamweight section, which is one off Sterling’s document of 9. Dvalishvili has crushed former UFC champions Petr Yan and Jose Aldo in back-to-back fights, each in somewhat complete performances.
Dvalishvili must be absolutely recovered from surgical operation on his correct hand by way of this autumn, so he’d be able for O’Malley’s then availability. He even tweeted Sunday that he needs that first O’Malley identify protection if Sterling does no longer get a rematch. O’Malley briefly close ailing Sterling getting a direct rematch at his postfight information convention Saturday, in order that turns out out.
Next beating Sterling, O’Malley referred to as out Marlon “Chito” Vera within the Octagon. Vera is the one guy to overcome O’Malley within the cage, despite the fact that O’Malley says the “Suga State Athletic Commission” has overturned that loss. You wouldn’t blame him for in need of to get that one again, and Vera is indubitably an elite bantamweight, coming off a win at UFC 292 in opposition to Pedro Munhoz. Then again, O’Malley used to be no longer as aspiring about “Chito” in his postfight information convention.
The one alternative choice that is smart at this juncture can be Cory Sandhagen, who has crushed Vera. However Sandhagen stated utmost past that he’d be out six months with an elbow shock. The UFC would wish O’Malley again prior to after. However O’Malley is coping with a muscle pressure underneath his ribs, and the UFC has a hectic slate over the then few months. So, you by no means know. Names like former champion Henry Cejudo and Yan are most probably additional ailing the record and can want a win to get again alike the entrance of the pecking line.
What fighter is ready to emerge as a contender prior to the top of 2023?
If this query have been requested a couple of weeks in the past, a very simple resolution would had been Umar Nurmagomedov. He used to be meant to struggle Sandhagen at UFC Nashville previous this moment, and that will have been the coming-out birthday party for the cousin of Khabib. However Nurmagomedov sustained a vital shoulder shock that may reserve him at the shelf for fairly a age. Don’t be expecting to look him again till spring 2024 or so. That’s a bummer, as a result of including him into one of the thrilling tops of a section within the UFC would have produced much more fireworks.
Jonathan Martinez is a candidate for breaking thru. He has gained 5 instantly and has a obese struggle in opposition to Adrian Yanez coming Oct. 14. Martinez is simplest 29 years worn and has a stunning group in the back of him in Marc Montoya’s Manufacturing unit X. A modest deeper ailing the pecking line, two athletes combating out of Arizona, Kyler Phillips and Mario Bautista, have proven word of honour. It would hurry longer than a past, however reserve an optical on Javid Basharat and Rinya Nakamura, too. He’s been round longer than many of the above, however Song Yadong continues to be simplest 25 years worn and may well be simplest a few obese wins clear of a identify shot.
What does the then past appear to be at bantamweight?
O’Malley will guard the identify, almost definitely someday within the wintry weather or early spring of 2024. He stated December in the beginning, and age that looked like an finest thought, the UFC has alternative plans at this time for that card, which might be UFC 296. (Disagree, it’s most probably no longer Conor McGregor.) Issues may just at all times trade, however don’t be expecting to look O’Malley till someday then past. He may well be a part of UFC 300, which the promotion will indubitably stack to the max. Vera and Sandhagen are the perhaps title-defense applicants, despite the fact that Cejudo, a former double champion, may just sneak in there if he beats anyone like Dvalishvili prior to the top of the past. At the moment, UFC 300 may just fall in March or April.
Something that most probably isn’t within the playing cards for O’Malley is that boxing fit in opposition to Gervonta “Tank” Davis he mentioned Saturday night time at his information convention. That turns out untimely on the maximum beneficiant and absurd if we’re being real looking. O’Malley must almost definitely story some identify defenses in combination as champion within the UFC prior to making an attempt for a distracted, crossover boxing fit. However as he stated, perhaps we shouldn’t underestimate his famous person energy and ability of their talent to produce issues occur.
Yan, Music and Vera may just struggle once more prior to O’Malley returns to the Octagon. O’Malley beat Yan utmost October, but it surely used to be a debatable choice, and plenty of felt Yan gained the struggle. That’s surely a struggle many wouldn’t thoughts visual once more, this past with the identify at the form.
Font and Munhoz to find themselves at the outdoor having a look in in regards to the contender image, they usually’re each 36 years worn. Dominick Cruz, the previous two-time champion, continues to be round, too. However he’s 38 and coming off a brutal knockout loss to Vera. Don’t be stunned if former two-time champion TJ Dillashaw comes out of leaving someday within the then three hundred and sixty five days, too. Dillashaw owns a win over Sandhagen, and he misplaced to Sterling utmost past with a significantly compromised shoulder.
Cruz, Dillashaw and Sterling are the 3 maximum completed combatants in UFC bantamweight historical past. Talking of the latest former champion, that brings us to our ultimate query.
The place does Sterling exit from right here?
Prior to he misplaced to O’Malley, Sterling stated he would proceed as much as featherweight without reference to the results of the UFC 292 primary match. He must keep on with that plan. Sterling needs that loss to O’Malley again, after all. In his postfight information convention, he stated that a direct rematch is his lead choice. However it’s the best past for Sterling to proceed on. He’s 34 years worn and has completed the whole lot at bantamweight. The UFC and O’Malley appear able to proceed on with the section with out him.
That’s OK. Sterling cuts a ton of weight and must have the ability to readjust his frame to 145 kilos. He may no longer have the achieve benefit over combatants he did at 135, however Sterling suits up neatly with the lead 5 at featherweight. The section has few wrestlers alike the lead like Sterling. There are some sturdy grapplers, however it might be attention-grabbing to look Sterling within the combine in opposition to the likes of Max Holloway, Yair Rodriguez, Brian Ortega, Arnold Allen and Ilia Topuria.
