Sean O’Malley isn’t set on the idea of making his first UFC bantamweight title defense in a rematch with Marlon Vera.

UFC 292 was a big night for the 135-pound weight class this past Saturday night. The promotion’s return to Boston saw the title change hands while prospects and contenders made waves earlier in the night. In terms of the biggest winners from the bunch, O’Malley and Vera were the largest and could now be headed towards a second collision with each other.

The new champion O’Malley has been nearly flawless in his 19-fight career, suffering defeat on only one occasion and fighting to a no-contest in another (17-1, 1 NC). The former of which came opposite Vera in August 2020 when the Ecuador native scored a first-round TKO with elbows and punches. Since then, O’Malley has gone unbeaten in six bouts with none bigger than his last over the now-former champion Aljamain Sterling via second-round TKO. Vera, on the other hand, is 5-2 (21-8-1 overall) since beating O’Malley and got back in the win column at UFC 292 with a unanimous decision over Pedro Munhoz — the fighter O’Malley battled to a no-contest with after an accidental eye poke stopped the action.

Before his crowning achievement, O’Malley liked the story build to a rematch with Vera if he became champion. However, “Chito’s” immediate insistence on the fight happening next has already started to annoy the new champion.

“The ‘Chito’ thing worked out nice. ‘Chito’ beat Pedro but ‘Chito,’ he just needs to f****** settle down a little bit,” O’Malley said on his TimboSugarShow podcast. “He’s like, ‘Sign. I’m ready to sign the contract. I’m f****** next in line.’ I’m like, ‘Chill, bud.’ I finished Pedro in two rounds. You went to a decision in a boring fight. The only reason — you wouldn’t get a title shot after that fight if it wasn’t for me. So you need to f****** settle down or I’ll pick Henry Cejudo and don’t think that I don’t have the power to f****** pick who I want to fight right now.

“You better f****** go on Twitter and say, ‘Daddy, will you fight me?’ And I’ll f****** think about it but you need to settle down, acting like you call the shot right now because I’ll f****** go box Gervonta [Davis], I’ll fight Henry, I’ll wait for Cory [Sandhagen], you need to f****** chill out with your ugly-ass outfits.”

The bantamweight division is so deep in 2023 that O’Malley didn’t even mention Merab Dvalishvili, who is the No. 1 ranked contender in the official UFC rankings. Perhaps Dvalishvili’s current injury recovery played a part in “Sugar’s” exclusion of a mention but it just goes to show the amount of options lying in front of the champion.

Regardless of what happens next for the 28-year-old O’Malley, he’s reached his true potential, taking Dana White’s Contender Series fame in July 2017 and turning it into a world championship.

“I’m the biggest athlete in the world right now or at least I was [Saturday],” O’Malley said. “We did it, Mom, we did it. Second-round KO!”

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TOP STORIES

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Rise. Rankings Shakeup: Sean O’Malley is the new king of the bantamweight division

Veteran. Dana White also wants Joe Lauzon to retire, Lauzon responds

Hit. Dana White’s Contender Series Week 3 down to 4 fights after one bout scrapped at weigh-ins

Goals. Sean O’Malley targets Gervonta Davis boxing match: ‘That fight is going to happen’

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VIDEO STEW

The MMA Hour.

UFC Singapore promo.

Free fights.

PFL Road to Championship.

Living Fit: Shane Burgos.

A bloody classic.

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MORNING MUSIC

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SOCIAL MEDIA BOUILLABAISSE

Suspicious...

The Canadian rat.

Fuel.

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TUF.

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FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS

Manel Kape (18-6) vs. Felipe dos Santos (7-0); UFC 293, Sept. 9

Christian Rodriguez (9-1) vs. Cameron Saaiman (9-0); UFC Vegas 81, Oct. 14

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FINAL THOUGHTS

The injury timetable can be used as a somewhat viable excuse, but absolutely nothing makes more sense than Dvalishvili for O’Malley’s first title defense. There’s really no debate about it.

Thanks for reading!

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