Sean O’Malley sought redemption in the UFC 299 main event against Marlon “Chito” Vera, erasing a previous loss with a commanding performance in Miami.
If not for Vera’s iron chin and unbreakable will, O’Malley would have almost assuredly gone home with a finish on his record, but instead, he’ll leave Miami with a lopsided unanimous decision win. Round after round, O’Malley unleashed a devastating arsenal on the feet, and by the fight’s end, Vera’s face was battered, bloodied, and swollen, resembling the aftermath of a swarm of bees.
The judges scored the fight 50-45, 50-45, and 50-44, confirming O’Malley’s successful title defense and erasing any doubt about his superiority in the rivalry with Vera.
O’Malley showcased a technical masterpiece, outclassing Vera in every facet of the striking game over five rounds. Employing a sniper-like approach from the outside, O’Malley committed to his kicking game and reached with a long jab that consistently found a home on Vera’s chin. He also jabbed the body, keeping Vera guessing but never overextended to avoid potential counterpunches.
Continuously varying his attacks, O’Malley targeted the head with punches and kicks before digging to the body. Vera appeared a step behind O’Malley, who proved to be the faster and more accurate striker on the feet.
With just over a minute left in the second round, O’Malley uncorked a massive knee strike that blasted Vera, snapping his head back violently. Vera stayed stoic in the face of danger, but O’Malley continued to pick him apart with little resistance to his offensive onslaught.
Vera struggled to make O’Malley pay for his high-volume striking assault, and by the midway point of the third round, he had a cut and significant swelling under his right eye. Undeterred, O’Malley maintained the pressure, chipping away at Vera in every exchange.
Realizing time was running out, Vera became more aggressive, attempting to turn the fight into a gritty battle, where he had his best chance to win. Although Vera connected with stiff shots, causing blood to trickle from O’Malley’s nose, the champion escaped before facing anything he couldn’t handle.
Despite Vera’s best moments, O’Malley remained the far superior striker, dominating the numbers game by outlanding his opponent.
With five minutes remaining, O’Malley didn’t let up, relentlessly pursuing Vera, including a right hand that stung Vera directly in the eye. Vera covered up, attempting to avoid a potential finish as O’Malley stalked him across the octagon.
O’Malley continued to seek the knockout, refusing to play it safe, but Vera resiliently refused to go down. It was a brilliant start-to-finish performance from O’Malley as he dismantled the only person to ever hand him a loss.
Regarding what’s next for O’Malley, he still hopes the UFC will allow him to change divisions and pursue a second title to add to his collection. However, this seems challenging with top-ranked challenger Merab Dvalishvili waiting in the wings.
During the post-fight interview, the reigning UFC bantamweight champion said:
“Dana [White], get me a jet to Spain. I’m coming for Ilia Topuria. I want Ilia, give me Ilia. He’s a scary f****** dude. Ilia excites me, going up a weight class excites me.
“Honestly, I’m here for whatever, If you guys want me to knock out Merab, I’ll do that, too but Ilia’s an exciting fight for the people.”
