“People think I’m avoiding…” Sean O’Malley vows to fight Umar Nurmagomedov once Dagestani attains ‘superstar’ status

Sean O’Malley is one of the most popular champions in the UFC right now. He has achieved this with a combination of skill and charisma. His witty banter and excellent striking skills have made him among the most marketable fighters. Another fighter who shares a similar skill level is rising contender Umar Nurmagomedov.

Many accused O’Malley of dodging tough matchups, including that of Nurmagomedov. But the bantamweight champion shared another reason for it. Sean O’Malley clarified in an interview why he turned down fighting Nurmagomedov so far. He argued the Dagestani contender remained relatively unknown compared to his own star power. This is what he said:

People think I’m avoiding tough fights, Umar’s probably the toughest fight, and yeah I’ve been bringing his name up but I also… like it has to make sense Umar isn’t a star at all. There’s potential to be a star... I believe I’m a superstar. I believe Umar is a potential superstar, literally because he has the last name Nurmagomedov.

Sean O’Malley via ESPN MMA

Sean O’Malley believed he had achieved mainstream fame in MMA through highlight reel knockouts and a flashy personal brand. Meanwhile, Nurmagomedov still needed bigger-name opponents before reaching that elite popularity level.

O’Malley captured the 135-pound belt by defeating Aljamain Sterling at UFC 292. He prepares to rematch Marlon “Chito” Vera, who handed O’Malley his first career loss. Meanwhile, Khabib Nurmagomedov’s undefeated cousin, Umar, keeps climbing the ranks. He holds a 17-0 record and recently dominated Bekzat Almakhan via decision.

Sean O’Malley recounted a weird encounter with Umar Nurmagomedov

Sean O’Malley recently recounted a bizarre encounter with Umar Nurmagomedov. O’Malley detailed finding Nurmagomedov washing his feet in a public bathroom sink. He talked in detail about the whole ordeal on his podcast.

The bantamweight champion recounted seeing Umar washing his feet in the public bathroom. He said that Umar had just landed in the US from Dagestan. The duo sparked a conversation where Umar thanked O’Malley for his kind words.

The odd interaction left an impression on the champion. O’Malley stated he also saw Nurmagomedov sleeping on manager Ali Abdelaziz’s shoulder, seeming exhausted from travel between Dagestan and the US. Check out what O’Malley said below:

As a Muslim, Nurmagomedov likely was conducting ritual washing before prayers. But finding the undefeated phenom using a public sink to wash his feet caught O’Malley totally off guard. Nurmagomedov recently predicted that O’Malley would defeat Vera and retain his title.

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