Could UFC 299 mark Sean O'Malley's rise as a bonafide PPV draw? Exploring the possibility 

Reigning bantamweight champion Sean O'Malley is one of the most polarizing figures in the UFC. With his colorful hairdos, a calm demeanor on the mic, and regular presence on social media, 'Sugar' has commanded a lot of fanfare in recent years.

All signs point to him being a future pay-per-view star, and UFC 299 could very well be his jump pad to superstardom.

O'Malley is one of the UFC's most followed athletes on social media, commanding almost four million followers on Instagram, 750,000 on X and close to 800,000 subscribers on YouTube.

While social media following doesn't translate directly to pay-per-view buys, an online presence helps get public attention. O'Malley regularly generates significant engagement on his posts, attracting more than 100,000 likes in near-regular intervals.

Furthermore, in response to rival Henry Cejudo on X, 'Sugar' claimed that his UFC 292 headliner against Aljamain Sterling attracted 570,000 buys, which is by no means a shabby figure for a first-time pay-per-view headliner.

Catch Sean O'Malley's response below:

Given that 'Sugar' is set to face Marlon Vera at UFC 299, the only fighter to have ever beaten him as a professional, the narrative driving the fight is much more powerful than his previous bout against Sterling.

As such, fans have more incentive to catch the event live, which might translate to higher pay-per-view buys.

If the storyline, coupled with the fact that this will be his first outing as a champion, pushes the pay-per-view buys close to 800,000 or even a million buys, it would be safe to affirm the Montana native as one of UFC's top draws. For context, Michael Bisping vs. Georges St-Pierre sold around 875,000 per Tapology.

Ultimately, if the 29-year-old dominates 'Chito' and avenges his sole loss, it would further the champion's popularity and attract more eyeballs, enabling him to generate more interest for his future bouts.

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Sean O'Malley on why he picked Marlon Vera for first title defense

Sean O'Malley seems convinced that Marlon Vera is trembling with fear at the prospect of facing him at UFC 299 and believes 'Chito' will be an easy fight.

During a recent interview with The Schmo, the bantamweight superstar revealed why he picked the Ecuadorian for his first title defense, saying:

"I wanted an easy fight for the defense, [so] I picked 'Chito'. No, I don't believe it's going to be an easy fight. I do think it's going to be an easy fight, though."

Catch Sean O'Malley's comments on Marlon Vera below:

'Sugar' holds a record of 17-1, with one no-contest. He is currently riding a six-fight win streak heading into his first title defense against Vera.