UFC: Sean O’Malley Hits Out At Thomas Almeida And TJ Dillashaw
UFC bantamweight contender Sean O’Malley has claimed that Thomas Almeida declined the opportunity to fight him at UFC 258.
O’Malley, who is recovering from the foot injury he suffered during his UFC 252 TKO loss to Marlon ‘Chito’ Vera, expects to return in February and is looking for opponents.
Almeida Turned Down The Fight
Speaking on The Sugar Show (as transcribed by MMA Fighting), O’Malley shed light on a number of topics, including TJ Dillashaw’s return, Dominick Cruz, and Almeida declining the offer to fight him.
“I was supposed to be fighting February 13th against—I didn’t say it, because I didn’t know,” O’Malley revealed. “I got offered Thomas Almeida. He turned it down, he said my right hand was too powerful or something along those lines of COVID or something, so he turned the fight down. Good decision on his part, would have been a nasty KO.
“So we’re still looking, but that’s who I was planning on fighting. I never announced it because obviously it wasn’t official and it’s not going to be official. That fight’s not happening, still looking, but I plan on fighting in February.”
TJ Dillashaw’s Return
In a recent interview, former UFC Bantamweight champion Dillashaw, who is expected to return to action in January after a two-year doping suspension, said he wants an immediate title shot upon his return. Much to O’Malley’s disapproval.
“How does this dude get caught cheating, stick a needle in his butt and then everyone’s like, ‘Oh, we respect him for coming out and admitting it,’” O’Malley said. “What do you mean admitting it? He got caught straight-up cheating. There’s no ‘Oh it could have came from this, it could have been this, it could have been this, that, or the other’, it was straight cheating and you’re giving him a title shot? But he did his two years. I don’t know.”
Dominick Cruz
O’Malley did have former UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz, on his radar, but now that he is scheduled to fight Casey Kenney at UFC 259 in March, the 26 year old will look for other possible matchups.
“Dominick Cruz versus Casey Kenney just got announced. Casey Kenney’s one of my buddies I trained with for a while at the lab,” O’Malley said. “That’s an interesting matchup. That’s another fight that I would have liked to get, was Cruz, but that didn’t happen, but that’s okay. I’m gonna fight someone, and it’s gonna be sick.”
Who should Sean O’Malley fight upon his return?
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