Sean O’Malley is the former UFC Bantamweight World Champion, having won the title from Aljamain Sterling in 2023 via a round two KO.
Sean O’Malley made his amateur MMA debut in 2013 and made his professional UFC debut in 2018, having first competed on Dana White’s Contender Series.
Here is everything you need to know about ‘Suga’ from his record and roots to his highlights and physical attributes.
- READ MORE – Sean O’Malley proved he was the real deal with one-shot viral KO win over former UFC title challenger
How old is Sean O’Malley
Sean O’Malley was born on October 24, 1994, in Helena, Montana, USA.
As of September 2025, he is 30 years old.
Sean O’Malley’s weight, height, and reach
O’Malley stands tall at 5 foot 11 inches and weighs in at 135 pounds. His impressive reach extends to 72 inches, giving him a significant advantage in the octagon over many of the bantamweight division’s top prospects.
Sean O’Malley X/Twitter and Instagram accounts
Sean O’Malley has a huge following across multiple social media platforms, including Twitch, and has 4.4 million followers on Instagram. You can become one at sugasean.
He is also on X, formerly Twitter, and has 836k followers on his account, with the handle SugaSeanMMA.
Who is Sean O’Malley’s wife?
O’Malley is happily married to his wife, Danya Gonzalez, and they have a daughter together. ‘Suga’ regularly celebrates his family, serving as a source of inspiration and support throughout his MMA career.
Sean O’Malley MMA record
| W-L-D | (T)KO | SUB |
| 18-3-0 | 12-1 | 1-1 |
Career stats
| Significant Strikes Landed per Minute | 6.7 |
| Significant Striking Accuracy | 61% |
| Significant Strikes Absorbed per Minute | 3.48 |
| Significant Strike Defence (the % of opponents strikes that did not land) | 61% |
| Average Takedowns Landed per 15 minutes | 0.29 |
| Takedown Accuracy | 43% |
| Takedown Defense (the % of opponents TD attempts that did not land) | 62% |
| Average Submissions Attempted per 15 minutes | 0.29 |
Sean O’Malley’s next fight
O’Malley shot down rumors that he was set to fight Song Yadong, as his next opponent is still undecided.
Reports suggested he’d face the top Bantamweight contender, but as of September 2025, he has no scheduled match.
Sean O’Malley vs Merab Dvalishvili
In the main event of UFC 306, Sean O’Malley just couldn’t get going as Merab Dvalishvili ran away with the contest, earning the belt via a unanimous decision: 49-46, 48-47, and 48-47.
It was a decidedly lackluster performance from the flashy KO artist, who only landed some 47 significant strikes over the course of 25 hard minutes – Dvalishvili landed 82 significant strikes by comparison.
They had a rematch at UFC 316, where Dvalishvili forced O’Malley to tap out to a north-south choke in the third round.
O’Malley highlights
Sean O’Malley boasts an impressive record of 18 wins, two losses and one No Contest.
Competing in the featherweight division, O’Malley has left a trail of highlights throughout his career, including a viral knockout on Dana White’s Contender Series, a hard-fought decision win against former champion Petr Yan, a memorable KO victory over Sterling to claim the belt, and a dominant decision win over Marlon Vera.
What Was Sean O’Malley’s Job Before UFC?
Before making a name for himself in the UFC, Sean O’Malley worked with mentally disabled individuals in a group home.
O’Malley’s walkout song
Accompanying him to the octagon has been the energetic beat of “Superstar” by Lupe Fiasco, setting the tone for another electrifying performance from ‘Suga’ Sean O’Malley.
Trash-talking with Sean Strickland
At a pre-fight press conference promoting the first three title fights of 2024, Sean Strickland and Sean O’Malley traded brutal and rather low-hanging insults at each other.
The argument started when Strickland brought up O’Malley’s relationship with his wife, which the bantamweight responded to by mocking Strickland’s childhood.
Coach Tim Welch
Sean O’Malley is coached by friend and teammate Tim Welch, both of whom frequently feature on each other’s YouTube channels, breaking down the biggest UFC news and fights.
Welch is a former MMA fighter who ended his professional career with a record of 14-6, with a series of nasty injuries, meaning he spent large portions of his career on the sidelines.
Speaking on their podcast, Welch told O’Malley: “There have been a lot of struggles in my MMA career, with two complete biceps tears, knee surgeries, and a broken jaw, every time I had to be out for around six months for each injury.”