UFC bantamweight Cody Stamann has called out Sean O’Malley, describing a clash with the rising star as “easy money.”
Stamann, who is currently sat at #15 in the 135-pound division, was last in action at UFC Vegas 25 in May. Against Merab Dvalishvili, who has been one of the leading men in the Georgian charge in the UFC, “Spartan” fell to a unanimous decision defeat that condemned him to back-to-back losses for the first time in his 24-fight career.
After a victory over Brian Kelleher at UFC 250 last June, Stamann boasted a 5-1-1 UFC record, with his only loss coming at the hands of current champion Aljamain Sterling. But decision losses to Jimmie Rivera and “The Machine” have left him in need of a rebound win in order to maintain his place in the rankings.
With his callout of O’Malley, it would appear Stamann is not looking for an easy fight to bounce back in. Although, according to the man himself, that’s exactly what a clash against “Sugar” is.
In an interview with MMA Junkie, the 31-year-old made his move for a fight with the fan favorite, and revealed why a matchup with O’Malley appeals to him.
“We saw Sean O’Malley fight (Marlon) ‘Chito’ Vera. He went down to leg kicks, and that kind of tells me that he’s not real. The hype surrounding him isn’t real, so it’s a win-win. I fight a guy like Sean O’Malley – I fought the champ, I fought the who’s-who, the guys that nobody wants to fight in MMA, the guys that are knocking people dead. So a fight against Sean O’Malley doesn’t scare me the same way fighting Urijah (Faber) or any of the guys I named would, any of the guys that I fought. I think Sean O’Malley would be one of the worst guys that I fought in my UFC career.”
Addressing O’Malley’s recent admission that he’s happy not meeting ranked opponents inside the Octagon, Stamann suggested the move might be motivated by more than just money. The Michigan native said O’Malley knows he can’t compete with the elite.
“I think part of it is the money,” Stamann said. “I think he thinks he’s worth more, and maybe he is. The dude’s a draw. I said one thing about him on Instagram, and I got attacked by like 100 16-year-old kids. It was crazy. I never had that kind of action from that fanbase. So maybe it’s a money thing. But I think ultimately it comes down to he knows deep down that there are guys out there that will absolutely stomp him. In fights, you see guys crack. You see guys break. And I think he’s one of those guys that can be broken.”
Having fought a host of top veterans in the UFC, Stamann has his eyes set on a comfortable bout next time out. Despite what many would think, “Spartan” suggested a fight with O’Malley, whom he labeled as a “clown,” is the easiest fight in the division.
“Honest to God, I’m picking the low-hanging fruit. I want an easy fight. I’ve fought nothing but hardened veterans in this sport since I started. I was in the top 10 six months after I signed my first UFC contract. My road has been tough. It’s been filled with animals, and his has been – he’s been on a bike going downhill his entire UFC career. He’s like a 10-1 favorite in almost every fight. So I want the easy fight. I think the easy fight is Sean O’Malley. I think that’s the biggest name, and I think it’s the easiest fight in the division.
“You ask me do I want to fight Sean O’Malley or do I want to fight Pedro Munhoz, there’s not even a comparison between those guys. You’re talking about a guy that you literally can’t break and you’re talking about a guy that went out on a stretcher because he got leg kicked. These are two different men inside their head. I think Sean O’Malley is just a boy, and I would love for the opportunity to expose him for what he is: a clown.”
Sean O’Malley was last in action at UFC 264 in July. Against promotional newcomer Kris Moutinho, O’Malley perhaps had a longer night than he’d expected. After racking up the highest significant strike tally in bantamweight history, “Sugar” finished the debutant with less than 30 seconds of the main card opener remaining.
After listing a host of names in his post-fight interview, O’Malley shortened his sights to Rob Font for his next bout. But given Font’s top-five ranking, it stands to reason the 26-year-old will be fighting a lower-ranked name such as Stamann next.
How do you think a fight between Sean O’Malley and Cody Stamann would play out?
