‘You Can’t Hit Him’- Sean O’Malley Compares Himself to Stephen ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson

Sean O’Malley is one of the brightest young stars of the UFC. While he did face a major hiccup in his last fight against Marlon ‘Chito’ Vera, he has been actively discussing fights on his podcast and other shows.

He was breaking down the final UFC card of the year on The Timbo Sugar Show and was full of praise for Stephen Thompson. Thompson won the main event against Geoff Neal via unanimous decision.

“How impressive was Thompson? 37 years old, 25-minute rounds, fighting a dangerous, dangerous striker in Geoffrey- I call him Geoffrey.”

O’Malley then compared his movement to Wonderboy’s, in the sense that they choose to attack if cornered off in the cage.“We move similar around the fence where it’s back and forth. If he gets into a situation where he can’t go left or right, he’ll go forward. Throw a three-piece and turn you out. It’s nice.”

He also added a fight request, “You can’t hit him, you can’t take him down and he’s long, and he’s big. It’s like what the f***? You know what’ll be a good fight? Pereira Vs him. They’re both very counter-y.”

Sean O’Malley: Is there any truth to his statement?

O’Malley may fancy his movement like Wonderboy’s but they are quite different. Not through intention, but by the basic stances that they have. Thompson has a wide stance with his hands down by the side for maximum lateral mobility. He also possesses unconventional strikes, which make it easier for him to maintain distance.

O’Malley has a relatively effective but conventional style. However, he has moments of brilliance as well. Their movement is similar in the sense that they can attack well when cornered off. O’Malley is fighting in a lighter division, so the speed that O’Malley operates with doesn’t give him the same advantage Thompson gets at 170.

Hopefully, O’Malley can continue watching tape and taking tips from fighters like Thompson. That is the best way he can fulfill his potential.