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Sean O'Malley's bout against Pedro Munhoz at UFC 276 didn't go according to plan. The fight was ruled a no-contest after Munhoz was unable to continue following an accidental eye-poke. O'Malley had the upper hand in the majority of the exchanges throughout the fight.
'Sugar' was warned on a couple of occasions for an accidental kick to the groin and then the accidental eye-poke. But the referee didn't deduct any points or rule the stoppage as a disqualification. O'Malley is a charismatic and entertaining fighter to watch inside the octagon and his popularity seems to grow with every fight.
Based on what transpired in the fight, it will be interesting to see how soon 'Sugar' returns to the octagon. There are some appealing fights in the division, but it looks like the top five bouts are booked for the remainder of 2022. This list will look at five possible fights for Sean O'Malley after UFC 276.
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#5. No. 9 Ranked UFC bantamweight Pedro Munhoz - rematch
Since their fight was ruled a no-contest, perhaps the UFC could attempt to run it back in the near future. O'Malley and Munhoz didn't sustain any bad cuts, so the fight could realistically be booked within the next three months. This would allow them to essentially pick up where they left off and determine a winner.
During his post-fight press conference, 'Sugar' felt as though 'The Young Punisher' was looking for a way out of the fight.
"Every time he would throw a kick, I would check it and I could tell it hurt him. I didn't get hit one time, I was dominating that fight, I was piecing him up, I was finding my range. It sucks."
Based on 'Sugar's reaction to the no-contest, there could be a lot of trash talk in the buildup to a rematch. 'The Young Punisher' would want to silence the doubters, while O'Malley would want to earn a decisive finish.
#4. Former UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz
Dominick Cruz has had quite a career resurgence in the UFC as of late. The former bantamweight champion returned from a three-and-a-half year layoff in 2020 during which he was stopped by Henry Cejudo. Cruz has since won back-to-back fights with decision wins over Casey Kenney and Pedro Munhoz.
'The Dominator' is currently scheduled to fight Marlon Vera on August 13. And so, a win could set the stage for a bout with O'Malley. It would be interesting to see what transpires if they fight one another.
While speaking with Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour last March, 'The Dominator' shared his thoughts on O'Malley.
"We have a lot of similarities. If he is an up-and-coming athlete, I am sure he has watched a ton of my fights and saw I was successful and I am sure he uses a lot of that stuff."
Cruz is known for his movements and how he sets up his strikes and takedowns. On the other hand, 'Sugar' is a powerful striker with the ability to finish strongly.
#3. No.7 Ranked UFC bantamweight Rob Font
No. 7 Ranked UFC bantamweight Rob Font has hit a rough patch. He is on a two-fight losing skid for the first time in his MMA career. He has lost back-to-back decisions to Jose Aldo and Marlon Vera and even missed weight for the Vera bout.
Despite missing weight against 'Chito', the fight certainly delivered as it was an entertaining main event. It earned Fight of the Night, but Font's ranking fell as a result. The loss puts Font outside the Top 5 and he'll need a big win to return to title contention. To make matters worse, he was ineligible for the Fight of the Night bonus because he missed weight.
The bout could be a win-win for both fighters. Font could capitalize on O'Malley's popularity should he defeat him decisively. Meanwhile, 'Sugar' could move closer to a fight with a top-5 ranked bantamweight if he finishes Font.
#2. Ricky Simon/Jack Shore winner - UFC on ABC 3
The UFC could also go in another direction and match-up O'Malley with another highly touted fighter. Ricky Simon and Jack Shore are scheduled to compete on July 16, which will be the promotion's third event on ABC.
Both fighters are vying for a possible top-10 ranking with an impressive win. Simon is currently the No.12 ranked bantamweight, while 'Tank' is the No. 14 ranked bantamweight. Although both fighters have competed in multiple weight-divisions, they have found a home at 135lbs.
Simon is riding a 4-fight winning streak with a knockout win against Raphael Assuncao in his most recent bout. Despite that, however, all eyes will be on Shore. The 27-year-old has an unbeaten 16-0 MMA record and could be another star to emerge in the bantamweight division.
#1. No.5 Ranked UFC bantamweight Marlon Vera - rematch
Marlon Vera has had an impressive climb up the ranks of the UFC bantamweight division. He is on a three-fight winning streak during which he has defeated Davey Grant, Frankie Edgar, and Rob Font. The No.5 ranked bantamweight has looked great during this stretch as he has earned a post-fight bonus for each bout.
'Chito' is the perfect opponent for O'Malley because he is the only fighter to defeat him. The two competed in 2020, which saw Vera earn a TKO win after 'Sugar' sustained a leg injury. Since then, it seems as though the two have been linked for a possible rematch.
Vera will have an opportunity to defeat another former champion when he fights Dominick Cruz next month. Even if he comes up short against Cruz, the promotion could still book Vera vs. O'Malley 2. It would be a logical bout based on their rankings and it would generate plenty of interest.
