Back-to-back losses have pushed former champion Sean O’Malley out of the UFC bantamweight title picture.
Things didn’t go O’Malley’s way in the main event of the UFC 316 pay-per-view on June 7.
At Newark’s Prudential Center, O’Malley was submitted by Merab Dvalishvili, marking the American’s second straight setback against the Georgian standout.
Having lost in more dominant fashion than the decision that saw him unseated from the bantamweight throne in 2024, ‘Sugar’ finds himself with a potentially long road back to the title.
But when it comes to defeats and the impact they might have on O’Malley’s stardom, his team evidently isn’t worried.
Coach Tim Welch says UFC losses won’t impact Sean O’Malley’s stardom
During a recent episode of his Red Hawk Recap podcast, O’Malley’s coach Tim Welch reflected on their unsuccessful outing in Newark earlier this month.
While some have suggested that consecutive defeats have damaged O’Malley’s stock as one of the UFC’s more notable names, Welch doesn’t think that to be true.
The trainer compared ‘Sugar’ to the likes of Nate Diaz and Jorge Masvidal, both of whom accumulated a number of losses in the UFC but kept their stardom intact.
“Look at Nate Diaz, how big of a star he is. How many losses does he have?” Welch said. “Jorge Masvidal, how many losses does he have? They’re still just f—- huge draws. Huge stars.”
Sean O’Malley outlines his plan to get back to UFC gold
In the aftermath of his second loss to ‘The Machine’, O’Malley has been advised by some to move up to featherweight.
But the Montana native isn’t giving up hope of adding Dvalishvili to his record’s win column just yet.
“For me to earn another shot at Merab, I’ve gotta be undeniable,” O’Malley said on The Ariel Helwani Show.
“I have to go on a streak, win a lot of fights in a row and there’s a world that happens. I know I’m capable of beating Merab, I also know he’s capable of beating me, and there’s going to be part of me that always wants to get that one back. He’s the only guy that has beat me.
“If I don’t get that one back, I’ll be happy with how it played out. But there’s a world where I’m undeniable and get that one back, but I’m happy for him. Merab’s f—- on a crazy streak right now and the greatest bantamweight of all-time.”
It remains to be seen against whom O’Malley’s path to redemption will start, with names like Umar Nurmagomedov and Deiveson Figueiredo being thrown around in the MMA community.