Sean O’Malley secured a key victory over #1 ranked Petr Yan at UFC 280. The three-round war between the bantamweight contenders was arguably the best fight on the card. However, the split decision win awarded to O’Malley became grounds for new controversies and divided the fans.
While the fight was a close one with both fighters going back and forth, many fans had Yan winning. Hence, the decision in O’Malley’s favor caused a tremendous uproar on social media. Now, Sean O’Malley himself has given his take on the fight.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Fans react to Sean O’Malley claiming he ‘def won’
Petr Yan and Sean O’Malley gave it their all in the octagon for 15 minutes. While many fans expected O’Malley to get a rude awakening, ‘Suga’ held his ground and delivered some significant damage to his opponent. However, Yan‘s striking mixed with his six takedowns was enough to convince a lot of fans that he deserved the judges’ nod.
View this post on Instagram
Sean O’Malley recently took to Twitter to announce he rewatched the fight and that he thought he won. However, many fans were still not ready to accept the controversial decision.
“I mean… If you take your opponent down 6 times and do nothing with it, do you really deserve to win?” asked one fan.
“All Sean heard was how he’s not good cause he beats up cans, then how Yan will destroy him, now everyone crying tht he didn’t deserve the win I would victory lap too,” claimed another fan sympathizing with O’Malley.
“Better watch it again then 😂 straight up lost. Thats danas special little boy,” said another. “Yan landed 6 significant ground strikes over 6 minutes of control time & got outstruck in the 1st and 3rd,” said another fan referring to the fight stats.
“What a joke. He was surprised he won. Why would he doubt himself and say “I have to look at the fight again,” argued yet another fan.
“He is delusional. He still says he won the fight against chito Vera. I think that says it all about him,” joked another fan.
It’s safe to say that this fight is going to keep fans arguing for a long time. O’Malley’s claim that he won only fanned the flames. The aftermath of this fight also highlighted the need for more clarity in scoring criteria in MMA.
What does the future look like for the bantamweight division?
UFC 280 was one of the most stacked cards of the year. It was also a crucial night for the UFC bantamweight division. Fans witnessed the bantamweight title fight and a potential number-one contender fight on the same night. However, while the title fight came to a disappointing end, the latter one ended in controversy.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
In the aftermath of UFC 280, Aljamain Sterling is still the champion while Sean O’Malley climbed ten spots to be number one in the rankings. However, it is unlikely that Sean O’Malley will fight for the title next. According to the latest reports, former champion Henry Cejudo is lining up for a shot at the title next.
After an unconvincing win, O’Malley may need another fight, or two to justify a title shot. However, he proved he has the skills to go toe to toe with the division’s best. A rematch with Petr Yan or Marlon Vera is a potential option.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Watch This Story- Five times Sean O’Malley obliterated his opponents inside the octagon
What are your thoughts on Yan vs. O’Malley? And what fights do you want to see in the bantamweight division next? Let us know in the comments below.