Sean O’Malley: “I’m As Good As I Say I Am”

“Champion life, when you’re 16, 17, you think you’re going to the girls and the parties and you could do all this stuff,” he said. “Realistically, I’m in the gym, I have a three-year-old, and I have a family. I’ve been living the same life since I moved to Arizona when I was 19. Ten years later, I’m doing the same s**t. I play Call of Duty, train a lot more — I have a daughter now, so that’s different. But for the most part, I’m living the same life.

“Sometimes I drive a Lambo to the gym, sometimes I drive my Ferrari to the gym. Back then, it was my 2006 Nissan. But life’s good. Life’s been good.”

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Another thing that hasn’t changed is the target on O’Malley’s back.

Part of that is self-created (famously, he did shout: “Welcome to the Suga Show” at Dana White’s Contender Series), and part of it was the UFC promotional machine. Like any confident, exciting fighter, doubters came in droves, but so did fans. His win over Sterling was the start of the “Suga Era.” Outclassing Vera brought the sweet taste of revenge, and now he gets to face a man whose had his name in his mouth for six years. O’Malley, who believes his vision is one of his best attributes, can already imagine how the right finish will reverberate across the MMA landscape.

“I don’t think there’s going to be as many people calling me out,” he said. “If they are, it’s (reluctantly). Once I do what I’m going to do to Merab, people are going to realize I’m as good as I say I am.”