Sean O’Malley on How Dana White’s Worst Nightmare Came True Before UFC 292 – “I Felt Something…”

It’s been almost a year since UFC 292, where current UFC Bantamweight Champion Sean O’Malley knocked out Aljamain Sterling in the opening minute of the second round. The fight served as the main card at UFC 292 in Boston on August 19th, 2023. O’Malley secured the title belt thanks to a perfectly timed counter right that sent Sterling to sleep.

A compilation clip from UFC’s ongoing series on Roku, Fight Inc: Inside the UFC, recently went viral. This clip featured Aljamain Sterling revealing something serious to Hunter Campbell and UFC CEO Dana White before the UFC 292 event. Yet another video surfaced from before UFC 292, featuring Sean O’Malley and his coach, Tim Welch, discussing injuries O’Malley sustained during sparring that could have potentially jeopardized the UFC 292 main event. Here’s all that was revealed!

Sean O’Malley reveals pre-fight injury scare

Dana White is known for his unwavering commitment to promoting events and safeguarding the UFC’s financial well-being. This uncompromising approach was evident in the situation with Sean O’Malley. Featuring potential repercussions from Dana White, O’Malley disclosed a past injury he sustained during sparing in August of last year.

Moreover, this revelation came to light through a viral video shared by the MMA  page@Home_of_fights on X (formerly Twitter). Offering a behind-the-scenes glimpse, the video features #6 ranked UFC pound-for-pound fighter, Sean O’Malley, and his coach, Tim Welch. In the video, Coach Welch is heard expressing that it was their worst training camo and that O’Malley had suffered a severe rib injury.

Later in the video, we see Sean O’Malley talking and disclosing the reason how he got injured. Suga said, “In one of my rounds, I was going against a bigger guy, jab high, pull one-two or his guts, yep, and I felt something happen.”

Additionally, he further added, “I just instantly knew it. It was six weeks out from the day of the fight, so it’s something we had to deal with the whole six weeks. I am the main event in Boston; there is no chance I am pulling out. I’d rather make it to the fight, go out there, give it hell, and lose than pull out.” However, this wasn’t the only potential source of frustration for Dana White.

A recently released documentary about UFC 292 features Aljamain Sterling, who also revealed in front of Dana White that he wasn’t in the best shape before his fight at UFC 292. This revelation likely frustrated White but fortunately, UFC executive Campbell stepped in to save the fight.

Hunter Campbell’s gaslighting skills were caught on camera

Aljamain Sterling’s two-year reign as the undisputed bantamweight champion (135 pounds) ended at UFC 292 after Sean O’Malley’s impressive finish. While everyone initially praised O’Malley’s performance, yje documentary series on Roku, “Fight Inc: Inside the UFC” revealed a surprising detail. It turns out Sterling was already injured before the fight, and according to the documentary, he informed Dana White and Hunter Campbell beforehand. this revelation clearly upset Dana White, as shown in the video.

Furthermore, the video shows Aljo saying, “I still have injuries that I’m still nursing to this day.” This statement clearly upset Dana White, who responded with, “I announce a fight, and then the first thing Aljo says, ‘If my body holds up’… you’re either in the fight or not in the fight.“However, Campbell was able to convince Sterling to fight.

Additionally, in a pre-fight podcast, “Funk Master” revealed his intention to fight at UFC 292, though his willpower seemed questionable. Ultimately, this resulted in Aljamain Sterling’s defeat to Sean O’Malley. Would Sterling’s Title have remained unchallenged and his ranking preserved if he had pulled out of the fight? Share your thoughts below.