“He never send me…you know why, yeah?” Flyweight champ Alexandre Pantoja calls out superstar Sean O’Malley and urges to release ‘unreleased’ sparring footage

Sean O'Malley and Alexandre Pantoja are clamoring on social media over an alleged sparring session that took place between them.

“He never send me…you know why, yeah?” Flyweight champ Alexandre Pantoja calls out superstar Sean O’Malley and urges to release ‘unreleased’ sparring footage

Alexandre Pantoja and Sean O'Malley, (Image via Imago)

Sean O’Malley is the new bantamweight champion in the UFC after defeating Aljamain Sterling at UFC 292. By KOing Sterling in the second round, O’Malley has the record for most KO/TKOs in the division. The 28-year-old fighter from Montana has drawn the attention of several challengers aiming to take him down after ascending the bantamweight throne.

Henry Cejudo, Aljamain Sterling, Marlon Vera, and Merab Dvalishvili have publicly expressed their interest in fighting the champion. Even the reigning flyweight champion has joined the conversation. After hinting at a move to the bantamweight division on Twitter, Alexandre Pantoja directly called out O’Malley on Instagram. The Brazilian Pantoja cited the new champion as his motivation to consider competing at 135 pounds. “The Cannibal” said, “If you know about this guy, he recorded my sparring with him. He never sent me, you know why yeah.?”

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The rivalry between the flyweight titleholder and the bantamweight counterpart traces back over two years. O’Malley previously claimed to have knocked out Pantoja during a sparring session. O’Malley retorted on X (formerly Twitter). Both O’Malley and Pantoja are embarking on their respective championship reigns. Pantoja secured the flyweight title last month at UFC 290, triumphing in a Fight of the Year contender against Brandon Moreno. While both fighters have their own division’s challenges to contend with, their mutual animosity could potentially lead to a high-stakes super fight in the future.

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As of now, O’Malley is set on fighting Marlon Vera in December. Pantoja’s immediate plans at flyweight are not known. A rematch with Moreno or a fresh matchup with Brandon Royval could be in the works.

Related: “You rap*st look-alike” – UFC legend and fans react as Henry Cejudo insults ‘trans-barbie’ Sean O’Malley and Chito Vera

Sean O’Malley has options moving forward

Sean O'Malley
Sean O’Malley (Courtesy-MMA Mania)

O’Malley was already a superstar before winning the title. The manner in which Suga won has elevated him into superstardom. The Montana native knows his worth and has already decided about his future plans. O’Malley’s immediate focus is fighting Marlon Vera in December. “Suga” has already called out Gervonta “Tank” Davis and Ilia Topuria as possible opponents.

Conor McGregor set the precedent for MMA fighters boxing when he fought Floyd Mayweather Jr. O’Malley is looking at a similar path. Topuria is most likely the next in line to face Alexander Volkanovski. If Topuria upsets the Aussie, there is a chance that UFC would book him and O’Malley for a fight. Sean O’Malley and Volkanovski are cordial with one another, and a fight between them has no chance of happening.

If Sean O’Malley continues his success, he has the potential to reach the level that Conor McGregor achieved. The Irish ancestry of O’Malley, too, has a factor in his superstardom. With longtime friend and coach Tim Welch there to guide him, O’Malley has what it takes to be a bonafide international superstar.

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