SEAN O’MALLEY catapulted himself to global superstardom and the UFC bantamweight title with a stunning knockout of Aljamain Sterling.
The Dana White‘s Contenders Series alum looked to end Sterling’s dominant run at 135lbs early this morning in the main event of UFC 292 in Boston.
GETTYSean O’Malley locked horns with Aljamain Sterling in the main event of UFC 282[/caption]
GETTYO’Malley dropped The Funkmaster with a beautiful counter right hand in the second round[/caption]
REUTERSSugar finished off Sterling with a barrage of ground and pound[/caption]
GETTYSugar celebrates atop the cage after claiming the bantamweight title[/caption]
Many believed O’Malley’s first crack at UFC gold had come too soon and that he’d been fast-tracked to a title shot – including the former champion.
But he proved his detractors wrong with a piston-like counter right hand and a vicious barrage of ground and pound early in the second round.
O’Malley looked cool as a cucumber as he stared down Sterling during the pre-fight introductions, although he was actually a bag of nerves.
The 28-year-old said in his post-fight interview: “Honestly this was the most nervous I’ve ever been for a fight.
“In my eyes, Aljamain Sterling is the best bantamweight of all time.
“I was a little bit nervous but I never lost confidence because I know what I possess in this right hand!
“I said going into this fight, it only takes one mistake against me.
“I don’t even know if that was a mistake — I’m just that f***ing good!”
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GETTYSean O’Malley soaks in the magnitude of the moment[/caption]
O’Malley ushered in the Sugar era at bantamweight by beautifully posting and evading a telegraphed entry from Sterling and face-planting him with a picture-perfect right.
UFC fans around the world were quick to react to the viral KO, with one saying: “The right hand. F***ing amazing.”
Another said: “WELCOME TO THE SUGAR SHOW.”
And another said: “That was Conor McGregor-level knockout power goddamn!!!”
One remarked: “Oh my God.”
GETTYSean O’Malley is the second Dana White’s Contenders Series fighter to win a UFC title[/caption]
Another chimed in: “Chills.”
New king of the bantamweights O’Malley is already looking to the future, in which he foresees a rematch with Marlon Vera coming to fruition.
He roared: “This is just the beginning of the ‘Suga’ era. I’m running this s*** until 2035, baby.
” Did ‘Chito’ [Vera] win? Was it boring? Probably. I’ll whoop ‘Chito’s ass in December in Vegas at T-Mobile.
“Let’s f***ing go.”