“Sugar” Sean O’Malley’s journey up to this point has been anything but the typical hero’s journey.
The charismatic striker has not fought regularly since early 2018 due to multiple failed drug tests and injuries.
Despite his two failed drug tests costing him a year of fighting [at six months for each offense], he seems to have learned from his mistakes and is working to come back stronger than ever.
In his recent return at UFC 248, it only took him two minutes to get a TKO against José Quiñónez, an achievement that won him Performance of the Night in the process.
After a two-year break in action, the undefeated 25 year-old once again finds himself climbing the UFC bantamweight ranks ahead of UFC 250. It is there that the rising star has a main card matchup against veteran Eddie Wineland.
O’Malley is no stranger to attention, good or bad, but a victory in his next fight could bring him more visibility than ever before.
His return to the Octagon comes at the perfect time, as the bantamweight title was recently vacated by former champion Henry Cejudo, leaving it up for grabs. While O’Malley may not be the next man up yet, it is only a matter of time before he gets his shot to contend if he continues to impress.
Written by: Jerry Markarian