Sterling vs O’Malley could take place in August. Photo via Instagram
Right after Aljamain Sterling’s title defense at Saturday’s UFC 288, No. 2 ranked “Sugar” Sean O’Malley entered the octagon to square off with the bantamweight champion.
Both fighters traded verbal jabs in the heated face off and agreed to fight each other next.
“You better hope you look better than that,” O’Malley said. “You look like shit.”
“Daddy Dana [White] ain’t gonna babysit that ass no more,” Sterling replied.
At the UFC 288 post-fight press conference, president Dana White said that the No. 2 ranked bantamweight is next in line for a title shot and gave a timeline for when Sterling vs O’Malley could happen.
“Yes, he’s next,” White confirmed and said that the fight most likely will take place in Boston. “Probably August.”
Sterling vs O’Malley will be Aljo’s fourth defense
The fight between the two rivals marks Sterling’s fourth title defense, since winning the strap via DQ against Petr Yan back in March 2021.
In his first title defense on April 9 2022, he defeated Yan via a razor-thin split decision. In his second defense on October 22 last year, he TKO’d an injured T.J. Dillashaw who’s shoulder was dislocated.
In last night’s fight against Cejudo, he once again defended his belt via a split decision.
O’Malley did not agree that the champion won Saturday’s fight against Cejudo.
“I was honestly pretty surprised that Aljo won, I thought Henry did what he needed to do,” O’Malley said at the post-fight press conference.