Despite losing to bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili twice, former titleholder Sean O’Malley is still one of the most recognizable stars on the UFC roster. He’s the top contender in the 135-pound division but doesn’t have a realistic path to a title shot as long as the belt’s around Dvalishvili’s waist.
“I feel like I’ve always looked at this fight game pretty logical. Like, hey, I lost to Merab twice. Fighting for the title again after two losses just doesn’t seem to make that much sense,” O’Malley recently told the Overdogs Podcast.
Coming off back-to-back losses for the first time in his ten-year fighting career, O’Malley hasn’t lost any confidence. He believes, at some point, he’ll get a trilogy bout against Dvalishivli and that he’ll win.
“I feel like I still got that confidence that I’m able to put anybody’s lights out. I still truly believe that I can beat Merab. There will be a trilogy one day down the line. I’ve still got that delusion in me. I love it. That’s what got me here,” he said. “I know I can put that dude’s lights out, so I’m still there a little bit. I’m a little bit more humble, but I’m still delusional.”
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O’Malley doesn’t have a fight booked. He doesn’t know who he’ll face next, or when that may be. But he plans to remind everyone what he’s capable of the next time he steps inside the octagon.
“My next fight, I’m going to go out there and remind everybody how skilled I am,” O’Malley said. “The only person I’ve ever lost to is Merab. I lost to Chito (Marlon Vera), but I proved that was a fluke. The only person I’ve lost to is Merab.
“In my mind, and the UFC fans’, you’re only as good as your last fight. Merab beat me last fight, so it’s ‘Suga sucks.’ But I’m going to go out there, remind everybody that I’m still that motherf***er. I can still knock people out. I still want it. This is my life. I’m not going to wither away,” continued O’Malley.
“I’m looking become, you know, I want to become world champ again. I want to fight 10 more fights in my career. I’ve still have the hunger, still have that drive, still have the passion to want to perform and compete at the highest level. I’m not going anywhere. I believe my next fight will be my best performance. Whenever, whoever, wherever. I’m going to show up and put on a beautiful clinic, and remind everybody that I’m as good as I say I am.”
