5 Things You Might Not Know About Sean O’Malley

Sean O’Malley’s next outing could come to define his career, for good or ill.

The polarizing 30-year-old will attempt to reclaim the undisputed Ultimate Fighting Championship bantamweight title when he rematches Merab Dvalishvili in the UFC 316 headliner on June 7 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. O’Malley steps back into the spotlight having compiled a 10-2 record with one no contest over his 13 appearances inside the Octagon. He has not fought since surrendering the 135-pound championship in a five-round unanimous decision defeat to Dvalishvili at UFC 306 in September. It was O’Malley’s first loss in more than four years.

As O’Malley approaches his second encounter with Dvalishvili, here are five things you might not know about him:

1. Few have traveled his path.

O’Malley was born in Helena, Montana, on Oct. 24, 1994 and remains one of only a handful of Big Sky Country natives to reach the UFC. The list includes Keith Jardine, Hunter Azure, Montana De La Rosa and Marnic Mann.

2. Early results were a harbinger of what was to come.

“Suga Sean” made his professional mixed martial arts debut at the age of 20 when he needed just 93 seconds to punch out Josh Reyes under the Intense Championship Fighting banner on March 6, 2015. O’Malley started his career with 12 consecutive victories, his undefeated run capped by a first-round knockout of former World Extreme Cagefighting champion Eddie Wineland at UFC 250.

3. He walks with bantamweight giants.

O’Malley laid claim to the undisputed UFC bantamweight crown with a stirring second-round technical knockout of Aljamain Sterling in the UFC 292 main event on Aug. 19, 2023. His reign lasted 393 days. Only eight other men have captured the 135-pound championship: Dvalishvili, Sterling, Dominick Cruz (twice), T.J. Dillashaw (twice), Renan Barao, Cody Garbrandt, Henry Cejudo and Petr Yan.

4. His potent offensive skills boost his earning potential.

The 5-foot-11, 135-pound O’Malley has pocketed nine post-fight bonuses across his 12 assignments in the UFC, resulting in $450,000 of additional income. He has been awarded “Performance of the Night” six times and “Fight of the Night” three times.

5. His brain trust ensures optimal performance.

O’Malley operates out of the MMA Lab, where he has trained under John Crouch for more than a decade. The Glendale, Arizona, gym affords him daily access to a host of world-class coaches and stablemates, including former UFC and WEC champion Benson Henderson.