“I’m a bigger star” – Sean O’Malley claims he’s a bigger draw than UFC 280 bantamweight title contenders

“I’m a bigger star” – Sean O’Malley claims he’s a bigger draw than UFC 280 bantamweight title contenders

Sean O'Malley (L); the poster for Aljamain Sterling and TJ Dillashaw's (L-R) title fight at UFC 280

Sean O’Malley is a bonafide megastar in the making – UFC 280 seems like the right pedestal for him to step up.

Apart from a nerve injury that ended his fight with Marlon Vera early, O’Malley possesses no other blemish on his record. He has been ascending the rankings ever since he made his mark on Dana White’s Contender Series.

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UFC 280 will have heavy implications for the bantamweight picture. While TJ Dillashaw takes on champion Aljamain Sterling for the belt, Sean O’Malley also features on the main card against Petr Yan.

When asked if there’s any replacement for the bantamweight title fight between Aljamain Sterling and TJ Dillashaw, O’Malley said, “No. I don’t know. What if T.J. f***ing stubs his toe or sits on a needle or something randomly happens? I don’t know, you never know what could happen. Maybe me and Petr will have to fight for that spot and just fight the guy next.”

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He also dished about if he thinks the UFC would scrap his fight to save the card if the need arises. He said, “They wouldn’t do that to me. They would scratch that title fight before they’d scratch my fight, if I had to guess. I’m a bigger star, dude.“

Related- Petr Yan vs Sean O’Malley at UFC 280: Who’s got more to lose?

Sean O’Malley vs. Petr Yan will most likely serve as a title eliminator in the bantamweight division

Petr Yan (L), Sean O'Malley (R)
Petr Yan (L), Sean O’Malley (R)

Sean O’Malley seems to have confidence in his fighting and promotional capabilities. The former will really come in clutch if he is to stamp his authority on the division, when he takes on Petr Yan.

Many consider Yan to be the greatest bantamweight at present. That being said, he is not the champion. Petr Yan originally lost the belt in 2021 to Aljamain Sterling due to disqualification, and lost the rematch this year; the result of which shocked the entire MMA community.

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Aljamain Sterling (L) in action against Petr Yan (R) in their title fight earlier this year.
Aljamain Sterling (L) in action against Petr Yan (R) in their title fight earlier this year.

By beating a fierce competitor like Petr Yan, Sean O’Malley will almost certainly book a title shot against the winner of UFC 280’s co-main event. If he is able to beat Yan, he would face off against either Aljamain Sterling or TJ Dillashaw. In the former, he will find a salient grappler, while Dillashaw is famous for being one of the best strikers in the promotion.

However, that is all contingent on next weekend’s PPV. If O’Malley is able to produce a masterclass by beating Petr Yan, he could be well on his way to UFC gold.

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