Sean O’Malley has become one of the UFC’s top stars having arrived in the promotion with lots of hype behind him.
Following his appearance on Dana White’s Contender Series, it was clear that ‘Suga’ had a lot of star potential if he was able to keep winning inside the Octagon.
Though a lot of people, including Marlon Vera who was the first man to beat him, were critical of O’Malley’s rise in the bantamweight division, his performances were always impressive.
O’Malley’s bounce back from his loss to Vera at UFC 252 saw him stop three opponents in a row before he faced Pedro Munhoz at UFC 276 in 2022.
The second of those three victories saw O’Malley completely dismantle a short notice opponent who is now set to return to the Octagon for another big opportunity.
Kris Moutinho earns another late notice UFC opportunity four years on from Sean O’Malley beatdown
At UFC 264, Sean O’Malley was originally scheduled to face Louis Smolka until newcomer Kris Moutinho stepped in on short notice.
The fight was completely one-sided with Moutinho earning a lot of praise for his remarkable toughness after taking a beating from O’Malley for the majority of the duration.
Referee Herb Dean eventually stopped the action in the third round with Dana White praising ‘Suga’ for his performance in the post-fight press conference, making a reference to his opponent’s resilience.
“He did what he’s supposed to do. Stayed on his feet, kept moving. Hit the guy with tons of combinations, didn’t gas out while doing it. I mean, he was looking at the clock a little bit there in the fight but when you’re in there against a zombie, I can just imagine what it’s like.”
Moutinho parted ways with the UFC following a second consecutive defeat, returning to the regional scene where he has been on a tear over the past two years.
The 32-year-old has racked up five consecutive wins and finishes which have seen him earn another late notice opportunity in the UFC.
An initial report from MMA Mania has now been confirmed with Moutinho returning to the Octagon on June 14 in Atlanta to face the undefeated Malcolm Wellmaker.
Kris Moutinho returns to the UFC with a point to prove after claiming ‘I’m not just a punching bag’
Kris Moutinho’s initial run in the UFC ended after he was stopped by Guido Cannetti in March of 2022.
The bantamweight fighter came into that matchup with a point to prove after earning a lot of praise for his toughness at UFC 264.
Moutinho told MMA Junkie ahead of his cancelled UFC fight with Aaron Phillips, which followed his loss to Sean O’Malley, that he was looking to reintroduce himself inside the Octagon.
“I gotta win fights first,” Moutinho said. “That’s the most important part. Get these wins and show everybody I’m worth more than just what they saw the last fight. I’m glad everybody enjoyed the last fight, everybody loved it, but it still hurts me. I can’t even watch it anymore.
“I watched it a couple of times, and it was too much. I don’t want to be known as the guy who just takes ass whoopings. I’m a fighter. I’ve been fighting for a very long time. I put on shows, and y’all are gonna see it.”
Now, Moutinho has got another opportunity to do just that.