Sean O’Malley suffered a second consecutive loss to Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 316, but his coach believes he will return to the ring soon, as O’Malley remains a popular fighter with many potential opponents despite the setbacks.
Sean O’Malley just faced his second consecutive defeat to Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 316. This setback seems to push him out of the bantamweight title race, at least for now. Yet, his head coach remains hopeful for a swift return to the octagon.
The rematch with Dvalishvili came less than nine months after their first encounter. In between, O’Malley underwent hip surgery due to injuries from his training for UFC 306. Despite the loss, he emerged mostly unscathed this time, hinting at a quicker comeback.
Although nothing’s official, O’Malley’s coach, Tim Welch, believes a new fight might be on the horizon. “It’s hard to predict with him, but we’re not clubbing or partying. So, what else are we gonna do?” Welch mentioned on his YouTube channel.
“We’re hitting the gym twice a day. Training hard. Might as well fight. He’s only 30. Why waste time? Let’s keep knocking them out,” Welch added enthusiastically.
Sure, losing twice to Dvalishvili stings, but O’Malley remains a fan favorite, buzzing with popularity. As long as Dvalishvili holds the belt, a third fight seems unlikely, but other opportunities abound.
Welch draws parallels with stars like Nate Diaz and Jorge Masvidal, who’ve endured losses yet remain huge draws. “Look at Nate, how many losses? Jorge? Still massive stars,” Welch pointed out.
It’s hard to argue with that. Now, it’s just a matter of when O’Malley will step back into the cage, with a slew of potential bantamweight opponents waiting.