Casey O'Neill Reveals "Disrespectful" Eduarda Moura DMs After Heated UFC 331 Showdown
Casey O'Neill has exposed the real story that drove her tensions with Eduarda Moura ahead of UFC 331.
At only the 3:11 mark of the fight, Casey O'Neill hit a jaw-dropping armbar on Eduarda Moura, sweeping the UFC 331 main card with a raving sensation. It's not just submitting someone with that moniker that made the showdown interesting. There's also a more personal layer to the story.
Casey O'Neill Addresses Post-Fight Aggression
The flyweight is not a fan of fighting with emotions. However, the Australian couldn't help but yell at her opponent after finishing her inside the Octagon. While she embraced Moura afterwards, that brief moment stood out. 'King' addressed that flash of aggression in the post-fight presser, citing Moura's earlier DMs.
The Brazilian had been messaging O'Neill privately to secure a matchup for quite some time. But the Eternal MMA strawweight champion believed it truly crossed the line when Moura took to commenting on her Instagram posts.
"And then like four minutes after sending me a message was commenting on my Instagram uh pictures saying you're running from me. You're scared. I was literally training. Like I didn't see her messages," O'Neill told the press.
As per the flyweight, Ronda had accused O'Neill of dodging her after initially challenging her in April. However, considering King had just defeated Gabriella Fernandes on March 29, it makes sense why the Australian might have rejected the idea of an immediate return to the cage.
However, despite the initial conflict and pushback from UFC's Mick Maynard, the flyweight bout was booked for UFC 331. But O'Neill was especially disappointed in Ronda's approach to that.
"I'm not happy with the way that she was sending me the messages on social media and stuff. I feel like she was a bit disrespectful, and she was mimicking me," King explained.
Casey O'Neill Eyes Maycee Barber Next
Casey O'Neill does not want to sleep on her momentum right after her Submission of the Year contender win. Speaking with MMA Junkie during the same press conference, King has revealed her next step in the promotion. It boils down to one thing: fighting forward.
After a severe right knee blowout and injuries to her ACL and MCL, the 28-year-old was sidelined for 19 months before returning with an emphatic win against Fernandes. Those injuries, however, forced the UFC star to fight "backwards". UFC 331 was supposed to shift that story, with a clash against Karine Silva. However, complications with the fight date tipped over that opportunity.
Now, O'Neill's vision is fixed on a shot against Maycee Barber (ranked #9), who had strung together 7 straight wins before losing to Alexa Grasso earlier this year. With the Australian unranked currently, this could be an incredible opportunity for her to officially enter the Top 15 and make her name among the top title challengers.
