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Sean O’Malley is none too pleased with the UFC.
At UFC 264 last month, O’Malley turned in a Fight of the Night winning performance, finally stopping Kris Moutinho in the third round, after battering the short-notice replacement for the better part of 15 minutes. But despite his impressive performance and rising popularity with the fans, O’Malley says he feels disrespected by the UFC, specifically, by matchmaker Sean Shelby.
“I don’t even know if I’m supposed to say this. I was talking to my manager and he was talking to Sean Shelby and Sean Shelby was mad at me,” O’Malley said on his podcast recently. “Dude, I don’t wanna fight in New York. It’s far, the taxes are ridiculous, and Tim (Welch) has no-Gi ADCC trials that weekend. He told me that before I even potentially had a fight. So, that’s his thing and I’m not gonna say, ‘No. I have a fight, we’re doing it.’ Especially when I could fight like a month later in Vegas. And Sean Shelby was just like, mad and like, ‘Fine. Go hang out with 6ix9ine’. Just acting like a f*cking tool, dude. I don’t know if I should’ve said that or not. But it’s like, dude, come on. What are you doing?”
Calling a high-ranking official of your employer a “f*cking tool” is probably not the best way to engender good will with the promotion, especially when O’Malley himself admits that the UFC does not need him.
“They don’t need me,” O’Malley said. “The UFC would be 100 percent fine without me. If they want another huge, giant star, I could fill that role for sure, but they don’t need me. But don’t treat me like that. Like, act like I’m not training or nothing. ‘Go, you’re hanging out with 6ix9ine, dude’. Like, I’m hung out with him once. Well, three days. But yeah, so, it’s like, cool, dude. Treat me like a piece of sh*t. No, it’s like, dude, I would rather not deal with him at all and just deal with Dana.”
This is not the first time O’Malley has voiced his problems with the UFC. Earlier this year, O’Malley was vocal about the UFC’s former contract with Reebok which he claims was massively exploitative of him, and it seems that similar issues underlie his beef with Shelby. Concluding his thoughts on the matter, O’Malley criticized the UFC’s unwillingness to pay him what he feels he’s worth as one of the rising stars in the sport.
“‘I know you’re gonna be asking for a lot of money.’ No sh*t! I’m pulling f*cking numbers, you can’t deny that,” O’Malley said. “Why do they have a problem paying someone what they’re worth? That shouldn’t be an issue. That should be, like - especially when I’m blowing up like that. Those last two fights, third-round finishes, handing out brain damage. You should be like, ‘Hell yeah, I’m gonna pay you a lot. You earned it.’ Dude, I was UFC 264.”
O’Malley is far from the only fighter to publicly criticize the alligator arms of the UFC. Over the past year, high-profile fighters like Jon Jones, Jorge Masvidal, and Francis Ngannou have all aired their grievances about fighter pay, and of course, Jake Paul has made the UFC’s fighter pay issues a personal battle cry in his public vendetta with UFC President Dana White. And with the spotlight continuing to grow on MMA and the UFC, and with the UFC recently signing a $175 million deal with Crypto.com that pays the fighters nothing, these sorts of issues are sure to continue.
TOP STORIES
Results. Cyril Gane became the new UFC interim heavyweight champion at UFC 265.
Praise. Dana White praises Ciryl Gane after he ‘put on a clinic’ against Derrick Lewis and ‘made it look easy’.
Forgotten. Dana White ‘not even thinking’ about Jon Jones until 2022, unsure what’s next for Stipe Miocic.
Superfight. Jose Aldo aiming for ‘great fight’ with T.J. Dillashaw in December.
Reaction. Khabib Nurmagomedov’s coach reacts to Conor Mcgregor’s deleted tweet: ‘He’s flat out an idiot, and he’s out of control’.
VIDEO STEW
UFC 265 Post Fight Press Conference.
UFC 265 Post Show.
Conor McGregor on crutches around LA.
This is just tremendous content.
LISTEN UP
On To The Next One. Matchmaking following UFC 265.
Severe MMA. Discussing the technical superiority of Cyril Gane and Jose Aldo.
SOCIAL MEDIA BOUILLABAISSE
Savage.
#HeIsOk pic.twitter.com/GGTVlkfmda
— Ciryl Gane (@ciryl_gane) August 8, 2021
Next.
Impressive performance from Gane !
— Francis Ngannou (@francis_ngannou) August 8, 2021
He's now a legit contender.
See you soon boy. When you know you know. #ufc265
King of Rio.
Respect.
Jose Aldo is a real legend.
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) August 8, 2021
Love to see The King of Rio doing his thing!
— Max Holloway (@BlessedMMA) August 8, 2021
Congratulations to the legend @josealdojunior Good fight
— Petr “No Mercy” Yan (@PetrYanUFC) August 8, 2021
@josealdojunior is such a freak!! #ufc265
— Alex Volkanovski (@alexvolkanovski) August 8, 2021
The GOAT @josealdojunior
— @CrisCyborg.Com (@criscyborg) August 8, 2021
When someone ask me,
— #OnAmission4Gold (@KelvinGastelum) August 8, 2021
What is a dream fight past or present regardless of weight class?
Aldo has to be on top of that list.
His legendary status and the way he carries himself is something to applaud. #UFC265
José Aldo and André Pederneiras have seen it all pic.twitter.com/yz7xwPaQ36
— caposa (@Grabaka_Hitman) August 8, 2021
Statement.
Hats off to @VicenteLuqueMMA #visionquest pic.twitter.com/ppFvWgT6QB
— Michael Chiesa (@MikeMav22) August 8, 2021
Response.
https://t.co/0AAIDW4dYK pic.twitter.com/dSyZ6OY4ey
— Vicente Luque (@VicenteLuqueMMA) August 8, 2021
Awww.
Just letting it clear again @VicenteLuqueMMA is more than a friend to me he is a brother a real brother! Is no way I’m fighting him!
— GILBERT BURNS DURINHO (@GilbertDurinho) August 8, 2021
-
Só pra deixar claro mais uma vez @VicenteLuqueMMA é mais que um amigo, é um irmão de verdade! Não tem como lutar! pic.twitter.com/VzGi8lREm3
Leon.
— Leon 'Rocky' Edwards (@Leon_edwardsmma) August 8, 2021
Statement.
Proud of my work! Happy I was able to showcase the Tornado in me. I felt the most calm I’ve ever felt in a fight walking into the Octagon last night. The best version of myself feels great. I can’t wait for the next one! #TeamTiny #UFC265 #Win #Latina #MMA @ufc pic.twitter.com/pkEQ3JGh9G
— Tecia Torres (@TeciaTorres) August 8, 2021
Opportunity.
After I lost to Gane, my 3rd cousin sent me a Facebook message with a bunch of “advice”, telling me what I should’ve done to have won the fight. Anyway, if Ngannou wants to hire him in preparation for their bout, his name is Shaun and he sells car parts(?) and has never trained.
— Tanner Boser (@BulldozerBoser) August 8, 2021
Beef.
So you say no to fighting me to fight a guy 2-1 in the division @edmenshahbazyan so you really are scared to lose your number https://t.co/Gedh6m0t7c
— Brendan Allen (@BrendanAllenMMA) August 8, 2021
There are fighters in the UFC who have no idea what the Showtime Kick is. Wow.
Whoa I never seen this https://t.co/kpXM5RFVDc
— Terrance McKinney (@twrecks155) August 9, 2021
FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS
N/A.
FINAL THOUGHTS
There is a small part of me that thinks O’Malley’s entire issue with Shelby and vice versa is that they are both named Sean.
Also, Jose Aldo is the best.
Thanks for reading and see y’all tomorrow.
EXIT POLL
Poll
It’s early but who you got?
This poll is closed
-
57%
Francis Ngannou
-
42%
Cyril Gane
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