The “Sugar” show is back next year, and Sean O’Malley will enter the Octagon for the first time as UFC bantamweight champion.
Since bursting onto the scene during Dana White’s Contender Series 2 as a 7-0 professional mixed martial artist, O’Malley’s profile has continually grown. And now, at the height of his power, the 135-pound divisional king will look to make his first title defense against the man charged with eliminating the “0” from his record, Marlon “Chito” Vera.
Around seven months after his championship-winning effort against Aljamain Sterling at UFC 292, Sugar (17-1, 1 no-contest) and Chito will rematch as UFC 299’s headlining act. The event is scheduled for March 9. But, the hosting city and venue have yet to be announced.
Vera (21-8-1) is currently ranked No. 6 in the official UFC bantamweight standings and is riding the momentum of his unanimous decision victory over Pedro Munhoz — a win he notched the same night O’Malley TKO’d Sterling to ascend the throne. Including his split decision defeat to Cory Sandhagen in his outing prior, Vera is 5-1 in his last six contests, which includes knockout finishes over the likes of former 135-pound champion Dominick Cruz, and ex-lightweight kingpin Franke Edgar.
The most relevant match that’ll be focused on during the lead-up to UFC 299 is O’Malley and Vera’s clash in August 2020. Serving as UFC 252’s co-main event, the two dueled in a battle of striking for nearly one round before Chito took out O’Malley with vicious elbows and punches on the canvas.
O’Malley had succumbed to Chito’s calf kicks, which led to the sub-five-minute TKO.
Before then, Sugar and his kickboxing prowess was shining. But Chito, the man known for his power and resilience, also unloaded his weapons onto the rising superstar.
After the loss, O’Malley called a mulligan because his demise was a direct result of Vera kicking a nerve in his leg — something he considers luck, not skill. Sugar hasn’t tasted defeat since meeting Chito over three years ago, and he believes he’ll right the wrong in their championship main event.
All in all, Sugar is an 11-fight UFC veteran. He rattled off three KO/TKO victories after his disastrous night fighting Vera. But, it wasn’t until his contest with former bantamweight champion Petr Yan that O’Malley stamped himself as a title contender. They fought in October 2022 and the back-and-forth “Fight of the Night” ended with Sugar having his hand raised via split decision.
The win lined him up for a shot at Sterling’s gold. And in August, Sugar realized his dream of becoming the 135-pound titleholder of MMA’s worldwide leader.
