'No business fighting Merab'… Sean O'Malley receives passionate call out from top contender
01/24/2025 06:49 AM
It's been four months since Sean O'Malley lost his UFC bantamweight title to Merab Dvalishvili, with 'Suga' keen to secure his rematch against the Georgian wrecking ball.
Sean O'Malley is expected to fight again in mid-2025, but should the UFC move away from an immediate rematch against the 'cardio king', who could be in the running to welcome the Suga back to the octagon?
Well, there are potential fights against the likes of Deiveson Figueiredo, Petr Yan, and Henry Cejudo; but there's one matchup that stands head and shoulders above the rest… Enter the Sandman.
Sean O’Malley called out by 'bored' UFC star Cory Sandhagen
Cory 'Sandman' Sandhagen is currently the #4 ranked UFC bantamweight contender and is coming off a hard-fought loss to Umar Nurmagomedov back in August 2024.
Whilst Dana White stated at UFC 311 post-fight press conference that Sean O'Malley would likely get the next title shot, the 'Sandman' is once again making his case for a sugary-sweet striking matchup with the former champion.
"Hey, let's be real, O'Malley has no business fighting Merab for an immediate rematch," Sandhagen argued in an Instagram post earlier this week.
"He got beat up in the first fight, he's going to get beat up in the second fight, no one wants to see that fight.
"I'm not booked yet. I want to fight. I am so damn bored; I'll even give this fool as much time as he wants the way that Aljamain [Sterling] gave him as much time as he wanted."
Sandhagen, who remains one of the most popular fighters in the bantamweight division, called on Dana White and Hunter Campbell to do whatever it takes to put that fight together.
"UFC – make the fight that the fans want to see which is me and O'Malley; make it happen soon, I'm so f***** bored!"
From even the briefest scroll through the comments section, it appears as though many within the MMA community are on board with the idea of a Suga vs Sandman showdown.
Former champion TJ Dillashaw wrote "Let's go" under the video, flyweight contender Charles Johnson responded "Agree," whilst lightweight Terrance McKinney simply stated "The world needs this."
As previously noted, there are a handful of fighters who could potentially welcome O'Malley back to the octagon, including Sandhagen, but who's on a win-streak and who is currently available?
| Ranked Fighters | Last Fight | Last Five Fights | Booked or Available? |
| Sean O'Malley (1) | M. Dvalishvili (L) | 3-1-1 | Available |
| Petr Yan (2) | D. Figueiredo (W) | 2-3 | Available |
| Umar Nurmagomedov (3) | M. Dvalishvili (L) | 4-1 | Available* |
| Cory Sandhagen (4) | U. Nurmagomedov (L) | 3-2 | Available |
| Deiveson Figueiredo (5) | P. Yan (L) | 3-2 | Available |
| Marlon Vera (6) | D. Figueiredo (L) | 2-3 | Available |
| Henry Cejudo (7) | M. Dvalishvili (L) | 3-2 | Booked vs Yadong |
| Song Yadong (8) | P. Yan (L) | 3-2 | Booked vs Cejudo |
| Rob Font (9) | Kyler Phillips (W) | 2-3 | Booked vs Cruz |
| Mario Bautista (10) | J. Aldo (W) | 5-0 | Available |
Who would you like to see Sean O'Malley fight next, and who do you think would win in a fight between him and Cory Sandhagen?
