At only 24 years old, Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series alum Sean O’Malley is one of the most touted prospects in the UFC today. The promising bantamweight last competed at UFC 222 when he picked up the unanimous decision victory over Andre Soukhamthath in what earned the two Fight of the Night honors of the pay per view. Our last memory of O’Malley inside the Octagon was when he delivered one of the more unique post-fight interviews in recent memory, where after gutting out the third round on an injured foot, O’Malley lay supine on the canvas, professed his love to Joe Rogan, and then welcomed the world to the “Sugar Show.”
Unfortunately, production of the Sugar Show has been on a hiatus after failing a drug test administered by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) prior to UFC 229, which forced O’Malley off of the biggest event in UFC history. O’Malley is currently suspended for six months by the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) and will be eligible to return in March. O’Malley has identified when it is he expects to return to competition in a recent Instagram post:
“Everyday is a day closer to getting back into the cage . Coming off back to back surgeries my number one priority is getting my body back to 100%. Looking like June/July will be the return of the best show in the world, The Sugar Show.” O’Malley posted on Instagram.
Sean O’Malley is currently 10-0 in MMA and 2-0 in the UFC, with victories over Terrion Ware and Andre Soukhamthath. It all began with a KO of Alfred Khashakyan on Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series that was enough to catch the attention of the UFC brass and earn O’Malley a contract with the promotion and lofty expectations that O’Malley will look to continue fulfilling next summer.
What do you expect to see from Sean O’Malley in 2019? And who are some potential opponents for him upon his return?
