Aljamain Sterling, Laura Sanko, and rest of UFC world react as Sean O'Malley puts his money where his mouth is against Marlon Vera - "Kid can fight"

Sean O'Malley cemented his place atop the UFC bantamweight division with a dominant decision victory over Marlon Vera in a thrilling championship fight at UFC 299. This dominant performance marks a significant comeback for O'Malley, who had previously suffered a TKO loss to Vera in 2020.

'Sugar' displayed a striking masterclass throughout the fight. He peppered Vera's body and legs with attacks, keeping the challenger at bay and dictating the pace. Vera struggled to find his rhythm, rarely landing clean shots against the elusive champion.

The second round saw O'Malley unleash a flurry of combinations, including a powerful knee strike and a right hand that sent Vera briefly to his knees. The relentless attack continued into the third, with O'Malley landing precise knee strikes, straight punches, and body shots.

Vera showed a flicker of life in the fourth, aggressively pursuing O'Malley and landing some punches. However, O'Malley weathered the storm and continued his offensive output.

The final round started with O'Malley landing a heavy right hand that visibly hurt Vera. Sensing victory, O'Malley maintained pressure until the final bell, securing a clear-cut decision win.

Fellow fighters took to social media to praise O'Malley's performance. UFC veteran Ben Askren lauded O'Malley's striking prowess:

"Masterful performance by Sean. Chito fought hard but didn’t have what it took."

Former champ Aljamain Sterling wrote:

"That body shot at the end could’ve been the fight!! Nasty! O’Malley looked great tonight. Some moments where Chito rallied back, but Sean won every round in my book.#UFC299"

UFC commentator Laura Sanko wrote:

"Guys, in case you’re late to this party, @SugaSeanMMA is fucking good. #UFC299"

Check out some of the fighters' reactions below:

Fellow fighters react to Sean O'Malley's impressive win at UFC 299

Fellow fighters react to Sean O'Malley's impressive win at UFC 299

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Sean O'Malley targets featherweight champion Ilia Topuria after dominant bantamweight title defense at UFC 299

Sean O'Malley wasted no time setting his sights on his next challenge following a successful defense of his UFC bantamweight title at UFC 299. In his post-fight interview with Daniel Cormier, 'Sugar' said:

“Dana! Gimme a jet to Spain, baby! I’m coming for Ilia Topuria! And if he doesn’t want it ... nah, f*ck it, I want Ilia, baby, give me Ilia. He’s a scary f*cking dude, he excites me. Going up a weight class excites me. Honestly, I’m here for whatever. If you guys want me to knock out Merab, I’ll do that too, but Ilia is an exciting fight for the people.”

Check out O'Malley's call out below:

This callout did not resonate well with Merab Dvalishvili, the current number-one contender in the bantamweight division. Dvalishvili, visibly frustrated, expressed his anger from the stands.

Check out Dvalishvili's reaction below: