"I got so lucky, it’s crazy” - Sean O'Malley says he received a “DM” from Marlon Vera after their UFC 299 fight announcement

Sean O'Malley is set to face Marlon Vera in the main event of UFC 299 in March 2024.

It will be the first defense of O'Malley's reign as champion, and he has predicted a stoppage win over 'Chito'.

Following UFC CEO Dana White's recent announcement regarding the fight, 'Sugar' claimed that he received an Instagram DM from Marlon Vera. However, it's likely that the bantamweight champion was joking.

During Sean O'Malley's appearance on The MMA Hour yesterday, he said:

"He actually texted me, I swear... Hey said, 'Hey bro, thanks for choosing me for your next fight. On our last fight I got so lucky, it's crazy, you were kicking my a** lol.' I thought that was pretty cool, he just acknowledged it... [It was] a DM, on IG. I didn't message him back."

Watch the video below from 14:05:

Marlon Vera's alleged "DM" was referring to the clash between himself and Sean O'Malley which took place at UFC 252 in 2020.

'Chito' defeated the now-bantamweight champion via TKO in Round 1 after compromising O'Malley's peroneal nerve with a calf kick.

'Sugar' has dismissed the defeat on numerous occasions, claiming that Vera's victory over him was a fluke. Given O'Malley's attitude towards his loss to 'Chito', it's unlikely that the DM 'Sugar' claimed to have received actually exists.

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Henry Cejudo gives shocking prediction for Sean O'Malley vs. Marlon Vera at UFC 299

Sean O'Malley suffered his only defeat in MMA against Marlon Vera several years ago, but has since gone six fights unbeaten, while 'Chito' is 5-2 since his victory over O'Malley.

The bantamweight champion is a heavy favorite ahead of their much-anticipated rematch.

But former two-division UFC champion Henry Cejudo believes that Marlon Vera will once again defeat Sean O'Malley.

'Triple C' recently broke down the UFC 299 clash on YouTube, where he said:

"Chito Vera beats him. Chito Vera beats him just based on endurance. There's another problematic thing that Sean is not accustomed to is taller guys. When I saw, it's not like Chito is a giant either, but he's like five eight, five nine. O'Malley is five eleven. I mean, when you start getting people in the same height, and they fought before, and one of [the fighters], he's already seen him in the eyes. He's seen him literally break, he can take him there again."

Watch the video below from 8:35: