Top contender "Suga" Sean O'Malley knows how tough it will be to dethrone reigning UFC bantamweight champion, Aljamain Sterling when the two meet later this year.
O'Malley spoke with journalist Ariel Helwani on the Monday edition of his show The MMA Hour and explained that he was impressed with Sterling's stamina in his split-decision victory over former two-division UFC champ, Henry Cejudo, at UFC 288 this past weekend, but believes he's got the skills to shock the masses when he faces the 33-year-old Uniondale, New York native.
“If anything, I would say his gas tank,” O’Malley said (h/t MMA Fighting). “Keeping up with Henry for five rounds, that was more impressive than anything. I understand how dangerous of an opponent Aljo is. I know his strengths, I know his weaknesses, he could be considered the greatest bantamweight of all time right now with his resume, so I know what I’m getting into. I’m very excited for the challenge and I do believe I have the ability and the skills to go out there and shock the world because I do believe I’m going to be a massive underdog. I think when you look at who he’s beat and how his style is, very grappling heavy, I haven’t really fought a really, really good grappler yet inside the octagon. Obviously, I train with absolute killers. I understand where the strengths and weaknesses are and I do believe I have the skills and I think the outside perspective will be Aljo’s going to go out there and do what he did to Cory [Sandhagen]. We’ve got kind of similar body types, so I’ve just got to last longer than 12 seconds, than Cory, and it’s a win. Just jokes.”
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