When Sean O’Malley won the bantamweight title last year, he confidently announced that it marked the start of the ‘Suga Era.’ Given his impressive performance and the hype surrounding him, no one expected that this era would come to an abrupt end, especially after his first title defense against Marlon Vera. However, since Merab Dvalishvili has now dethroned him, fans and analysts are wondering who O’Malley will face next in his quest to reclaim his position at the top.
Talking about his next opponent, the UFC legend Chael Sonnen has openly stated that O’Malley will now be a prime target for wrestlers due to the evident gap in his game. The big question is: who should he face next? Ideally, he would be eyeing a title rematch soon, but given Dvalishvili’s one-sided dominance, that doesn’t seem likely to happen any time soon. The next best option would be a fight against Cory Sandhagen.
1) Sean O’Malley vs. Cory Sandhagen
It seems the bantamweight division has become as star-studded as the lightweight division, with many big names making their mark. And Cory Sandhagen is definitely one of them. After suffering a tough submission loss to Aljamain Sterling, Sandhagen revamped his game and began dominating fighters like Frankie Edgar, Rob Font, Marlon Vera, and Marlon Moraes.
He was close to a title shot, but a setback against Umar Nurmagomedov pushed him back. A matchup between Sandhagen and O’Malley would be intriguing and could strengthen their cases for a title fight. Notably, Sandhagen has also called out ‘Suga’ to fight next.
2) Sean O’Malley vs. Umar Nurmagomedov
It looks like Umar Nurmagomedov is seen as a potential challenger for Merab Dvalishvili, but there’s some uncertainty since the new bantamweight champ prefers Deiveson Figueiredo for the title shot. This could mean Umar might not get the chance as soon as expected. On the other hand, Sean O’Malley, who struggled with Merab’s wrestling, could use this opportunity to test his wrestling skills against Umar, who comes from a strong wrestling background thanks to his connection with Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Click on ‘Follow Us’ and get notified of the most viral MMA stories via Google! Follow Us
Definitely, O’Malley could come in well-prepared and prove he is an all-around fighter. If he improves his wrestling, he can show his growth against Umar Nurmagomedov. It’s a big chance to demonstrate his versatility in the octagon. And not to forget there is already a big rivalry between them.
3) Sean O’Malley vs. Ilia Topuria
Chael Sonnen said in the latest Good Guy Bad Guy video that whenever a champion loses their belt, switching divisions is the best move, as it provides a fresh start. Alex Pereira demonstrated this after losing to Israel Adesanya. He moved to the Light Heavyweight division and dominated so thoroughly that he became a fan favorite. Given that ‘Suga’ has openly stated he will be out until next year, he can use this time to bulk up, train for a bigger division, and potentially fight Ilia Topuria.
Indeed, Topuria and O’Malley are two of the biggest stars in the company. A fight between them could fill arenas and bring in impressive business numbers. And for O’Malley, it would be a major career move.
Also Read: Sean O’Malley Reportedly Rakes In Extra Millions Despite UFC 306 Loss to Merab Dvalishvili
