Sean O’Malley is the new UFC bantamweight champion after dethroning Aljamain Sterling. It was an impressive feat, given how little chance many had given “Suga” coming into the fight.
Not only did O’Malley knock Sterling out in the second round, he did it with a laundry list of injuries that kept him from grappling through the majority of his fight camp.
Following his win, Sean O’Malley did what many MMA fighters looking for the ultimate payday do: they call out a pro boxer. In this case, “Suga” called out three division champ Gervonta “Tank” Davis. “Tank” just knocked out Ryan Garcia in one of the best boxing match-ups of the year, but O’Malley still believes he can hang.
But featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski? F— no! After winning his belt, O’Malley took a jet home to Arizona where he immediately recorded a new episode of his YouTube show. When talk of moving up to challenge for a second belt came up, O’Malley made it clear he wouldn’t try if that belt was held by Alexander “The Great.”
“Like, dude, chill, let’s be realistic here,” he said. “I ain’t f—ing calling for Volk.”
That doesn’t mean O’Malley is against a surgical strike on the featherweight division, should Volkanovski stumble and drop his belt.
“If Ilia [Topuria] goes up there and beats Volk, I’d go up to 45 and fight Ilia,” O’Malley said. “I just don’t think Ilia would beat Volk.”
There’s no date or opponent set for Alexander Volkanovski’s next title defense, but the Australian champion likes to stay busy and Ilia Topuria is the next clear contender at featherweight (as ‘silly’ as that is to Volk).
Also of interest to Volk: the winner of October’s lightweight title fight between Islam Makhachev and Charles Oliveira. Alex is hoping to get another shot at the 155 pound belt after narrowly losing a decision to Makhachev in January 2023.
A lightweight title win for Volk would be good for “Suga” … it increases the chances of the featherweight belt going back up for grabs in the next year or two. Think Sean can achieve double champ glory, Maniacs? Or does he already have his hands full with the killers at 135?
This story originally appeared on MMA Mania
