Sean O’Malley may have an enormous battle on his palms in 2026 if the playing cards fall good.
Presently No. 4 at 135 kilos within the MMA Preventing World Rankings, O’Malley is on the surface trying in of the bantamweight title image having suffered back-to-back losses to present champion Merab Dvalishvili. Up subsequent for Dvalishvili, he defends his title towards Cory Sandhagen at UFC 320 on Oct. 4, and O’Malley has good motive for Sandhagen to tug off the upset.
If O’Malley can get again within the win column quickly, he foresees a future the place he will get to tackle Sandhagen in a championship bout and at UFC White Home, no much less.
“The White Home card, Cory goes on the market and wins, I beat whoever’s subsequent, that’s attention-grabbing,” O’Malley mentioned on his BrO’Malley Present podcast. “However regardless, I need to battle throughout the subsequent 4 or 5 months, no matter it’s, after which I’ll even be prepared for that as a result of they mentioned it might be June, it might be Worldwide Combat Week. They mentioned it might be July. So if I can get one in early subsequent yr or finish of this yr, one of many two, rely me in. I need to be on that card.
“Being on the Sphere card, being on the White Home card, these are simply legendary moments. They’re as soon as in a lifetime f*cking moments.”
As of now, the UFC White Home lineup is strictly theoretical, although superstars Conor McGregor and Jon Jones have often lobbied to be a part of the occasion in addition to a number of fighters on the roster which can be truly energetic. This previous Saturday, UFC CEO Dana White unveiled renders exhibiting what the UFC White Home setup may doubtlessly appear like.
O’Malley hopes to be thought-about and he is aware of his probabilities of touchdown a title shot on the White Home improve exponentially if there’s a brand new bantamweight champion heading into that occasion.
“I undoubtedly would completely like to be on that card,” O’Malley mentioned. “Cory vs. Merab, I’m so f*cking curious, I’m so curious how that battle performs out. A part of me appears like Merab’s going to go on the market and do form of what he did to me, seize a maintain of him, wrestle, takedown, stand up, wrestle, takedown, simply form of keep on him. Then a part of me is like, Cory’s hungry. Cory desires it. He’s going to discover a method to win.”
