Sean O’Malley claims he will ‘SMOKE’ Chito Vera in major rematch and claims challenger is ‘genuinely scared’ after Dana White announces bantamweight title clash for UFC 299
Sean O’Malley is licking his lips at the prospect of getting revenge on Chito Vera at UFC 299.
UFC president Dana White announced a series of huge bouts to take place in the new year, including a bantamweight showdown in March, with the exact date and location yet to be determined.
O’Malley lost to the Ecuadorian three years ago but has been undefeated since, spectacularly claiming the title from Aljamain Sterling via TKO in August.
‘Sugar’ is desperate to right his perceived wrong over Vera’s defeat, which saw him hampered by a kick to a nerve in his leg.
“I feel like this is perfect timing,” he told the MMA Hour after the rematch was announced.
Sean O’Malley is set to defend his UFC bantamweight title after winning it in August
“After that first fight, everyone was like, ‘You’ve got to get that rematch, you’ve got to get that rematch.’ And I said, ‘I’ll get that second chance when I want it, when it’s time. When it’s time for that rematch, I’m going to call for it and I’ll get it.’
‘I could have had that rematch whenever I wanted. I thought: it’s not the right time yet. This is the right time, so I’m just really excited about that fight.
“I don’t want to take him down too much because I have to build a fight,” the UFC bantamweight champion added. “But I’m going to smoke this guy.”
O’Malley hesitates to attribute Vera’s victory over him to anything other than coincidence.
‘It’s just: why doesn’t that happen (anymore)?’ O’Malley said about the nerve damage. “I mean, I think it happens every now and then – that nerve, right? But how often?
“If he kicks my nerves again, if it happens again, I’ll say, ‘Okay, he’s doing some shit. He knows what he’s doing.’ But I feel like he was so lucky, and he knows it. He really knows, deep down.
‘That was such luck. He’s really afraid of me. I know you watch ‘Chito’, you know I’m way too fast for you and you can’t take me off, buddy. He knows. I think he’s very nervous about this fight, 100 percent. He’s too slow. What are you going to do? I’m going to cut him up.’
O’Malley will have his first defense against No. 6 Marlon ‘Chito’ Vera, whom he lost to in 2020
Asked if he would like the fight to take place in enemy territory, he added: “Oh yes, I would love that. Ecuador, I don’t even know where that is. Somewhere there. Why shouldn’t I accept these conditions?’
‘Eliminating him in Ecuador would be even better. I want to knock him out, so it doesn’t really matter where we fight. I would be loved there.”
O’Malley insists he is fully capable of finding the knockout, even though Vera has not faded from consciousness in any of his 30 professional bouts.
‘Chito’ is very cool. He will be tough to beat,” O’Malley added. ‘I know that. I don’t think he’s going to go there, (fall after) a few shots. But Aljo is also difficult to beat. I found his chin. So I know what I am capable of. I’m very excited, very excited about that fight.”