"Makes it so easy for the striker" - Marlon Vera details how his fight against Sean O'Malley will be different from 'desperate' Aljamain Sterling

Marlon Vera expressed confidence that he could offer new bantamweight UFC champion, Sean O'Malley, a tough challenge, despite the latter's dominant performance against arguably the divisional GOAT, Aljamain Sterling.

While speaking with former UFC champion and Hall of Famer Michael Bisping, Marlon Vera assessed Aljamain Sterling's performance against Sean O'Malley at UFC 292. 'Chito' stated (24:17 onwards):

"He consumed a lot of energy, trying to prove a point instead of winning the fight. And on a guy like O'Malley - like a one-punch guy, very very sniper - you don't run to those guys."

The Ecuador-born fighter pointed out that O'Malley's counter was similar to Conor McGregor knocking out Jose Aldo, after Aldo rushed at McGregor, at UFC 194.

"It happened to Aldo, it happened to Sterling," said Vera. "If you really watch like Wonderboy did that to many people... I feel like Sterling is a great fighter, great wrestling but he just don't have that base [in striking] that he can like stand up and go punch for punch with everybody and that's what caused him the fight."

'Chito' reminded O'Malley of his pre-fights comments where the now-champion proclaimed he would make his first title defense against Vera if he won. The California-born fighter claimed O'Malley retracted his previous comments because of his performance at UFC 292.

"We both fought Pedro Munoz. He couldn't do sh*t to Munoz, he kicked Munoz's a**."

Vera again questioned Sterling's approach, as he said:

"Why are you afraid , you are in already in a cage, you are already gonna get hit, so why you get so desperate to get a hold of other person, that make it so easy for the striker. The best takedown is the one that you don't see."

The 30-year-old fighter noted that he would pressure O'Malley but wait for his opportunities rather than running into a counter.

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Marlon Vera might not be next for Sean O'Malley

Sean O'Malley asked Joe Rogan if Vera won during his octagon interview at UFC 292 and announced that he would like to defend against him in December. However, later 'Suga' changed his tunes and expressed interest in boxing Gervonta Davis.

After the fights, O'Malley sent a warning to Vera suggesting he would face Henry Cejudo or wait for Cory Sandhagen. He then went on a rant about Vera calling himself the 'most exciting bantamweight on planet earth'.