UFC bantamweight Sean O’Malley says he’s open to a potential fight with surging Englishman Paddy Pimblett at some point down the line.
Pimblett burst onto the scene in emphatic fashion earlier this month. In the UFC Vegas 36 main card opener, “The Baddy” entered the Octagon for the first time and faced Luigi Vendramini. The Brazilian was written off by many heading into the bout, but it was him who landed the first sizeable blow.
After recovering from an early onslaught, Pimblett found his rhythm and delivered on his promise to knock Vendramini out inside the opening frame. With less than a minute until the horn, the Liverpool native unloaded on the 25-year-old, sending him to the canvas to secure a memorable debut victory.
But not everyone was impressed with Pimblett’s arrival onto MMA’s biggest stage. O’Malley, a fellow highly touted prospect in the UFC, said he wasn’t blown away by the Englishman’s skill set, and suggested he’d fall to ranked opponents.
And with Pimblett having previously taken shots at “Suga” and his grappling game, the pair are developing quite the rivalry already. During an appearance on Ariel Helwani’s The MMA Hour, O’Malley further fueled the fire. Explaining how their beef began, the 26-year-old described Pimblett as “ugly” and “stupid.”
“I have no idea. I didn’t know of him until the UFC kinda started posting stuff about him and I obviously don’t follow him. So, just a bunch of people started telling me Paddy’s talking shit so I’m not gonna not talk shit back.
“So yeah I don’t know. I don’t know what his beef was with me… As ugly and stupid as he may look, he’s kinda smart. He’s talking about the biggest name in the UFC. I’m clearly one of the biggest draws. I’m the cash cow and he knows that.” (h/t Sportskeeda)
O’Malley went on to suggest that a clash with Pimblett could be a potential superfight in the future. Despite currently being two weight classes apart, “The Baddy” was a Cage Warriors Featherweight Champion, and “Suga” is certainly big for bantamweight. A bout at 145 pounds is certainly a possibility down the line.
“He went out and performed the way he needed to. Besides nearly getting knocked out. Yeah, I think that could be a potential big fight. I don’t know. Yeah we’ll see, that was my first time seeing him fight,” O’Malley said.
While Pimblett looks ahead to his second walk to the Octagon, O’Malley is also on the hunt for his next opponent. “Suga” was last in action at UFC 264 in July. In front of a sold-out T-Mobile Arena, the 26-year-old faced promotional newcomer Kris Moutinho. Despite not securing a highlight-reel knockout, O’Malley delivered a record-breaking striking performance on his way to a final-minute stoppage.
The rising bantamweight star has highlighted UFC 269 on December 11 as his potential return date. He’d been offered a clash with former UFC Lightweight Champion Frankie Edgar at UFC 268 in November. However, his coach Tim Welch already had a grappling tournament scheduled for that date. O’Malley also highlighted New York’s high tax rate as a reason for avoiding fighting in the state.
Would you like to see Sean O’Malley face Paddy Pimblett?
Sean O’Malley Open To “Potential Big Fight” Against “Ugly” Paddy Pimblett
Source: Flash Balita Report
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