Chito Vera claims Sean O’Malley has been silent since winning the UFC bantamweight title, suggesting a rematch between them is not imminent despite O’Malley hinting at it earlier.
Chito Vera has noticed that Sean O’Malley has become quieter since he became the champion. The year 2020 witnessed Vera as the first and so far the only person to defeat O’Malley in a MMA, a feat he achieved in the first round of their match at UFC 252. There has since been abundant chatter about a possible rematch, particularly after O’Malley’s victory over Aljamain Sterling at UFC 292 which won him the UFC bantamweight title.
In the aftermath of that triumphant match, O’Malley was heard hinting at the possibility of his first title defense being with Vera. However, a month later, Vera reported that he had heard nothing further on the matter. When asked about the prospective fight at the Noche UFC Q&A, Vera said, “As of now, they haven’t said anything yet. I’m preparing as if I’m fighting in December. Why not? The guy was talking about fighting and stuff like that, and now he’s backing out. I guess when you’re a champion you can call the shots, so let’s see what that b**** wants to do.”
Since their initial clash, both fighters have seen significant success within the UFC’s bantamweight division. O’Malley is now the reigning champion, while Vera holds the number 6 ranking within the UFC’s division and recently defeated Pedro Munhoz at UFC 292 in a unanimous decision. Regardless of the time that has elapsed since their fight and the considerable progress both have made, Vera insists that a rematch would end just as their first duel did. Vera voiced his confidence stating, “I just keep getting better, keep training, staying in better shape, show up a little faster than I was before, better technique than I had before. If I can improve a little bit from where I was in the fight before, that’s all I need to be. He’s a good fighter. He has the belt right now. But make no mistake, I’m going to kick his ass again.”
He unabashedly asserted more of his prediction when prompted by a fan. Vera proclaimed, “I’m going to put him out before the bell rings. I guarantee that. He’s a p****.”