Sean O’Malley took ‘Jake Paul route’ to UFC title

Aljamain Sterling compares UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley’s rise in reputation to Jake Paul’s.

Sterling misplaced his bantamweight title to O’Malley (17-1 MMA, 10-1 UFC) by knockout at UFC 292. The title loss got here lower than 4 months after Sterling defeated Henry Cejudo in a five-round battle at UFC 288.

Sterling shouldn’t be bought on O’Malley’s resume. He thinks the UFC helped facilitate his path to the highest.

“I need to see the very best of the very best compete, no excuses,” Sterling mentioned on the “Verse Us with Eric Nicksick” podcast. “Now, enter O’Malley. He fights one ranked man and will get a title shot – break up determination albeit. And this isn’t me hating. That is simply calling a spade a spade. He was speculated to struggle me subsequent, which might give me sufficient time to arrange. However as an alternative, they are saying Cejudo is coming again, we would like you to struggle him. Behind their thoughts, they’re like whoever wins this, we’re going to show them round for August.

“So, he is aware of all this. I’m fairly certain he is aware of all this. Solely O’Malley may disclose this, proper? Or not less than the UFC knew that’s what they needed to do for certain. Give him the very best alternative that they might to change into a world champion by hindering and stacking the deck towards his opponent. For me, as a competitor, I can by no means respect that as a person – as a person, as a competitor. It’s just like the Jake Paul route. Stacking the deck so that you just get these highlights otherwise you get these favorable matchups and these wins to look pretty much as good as you do.”

Sterling particularly took subject with O’Malley’s first title protection, which got here towards Marlon Vera – the lone fighter to beat him. O’Malley battered Vera for 5 rounds to notch his first title protection at UFC 299 in March.

“O’Malley may very well be an excellent champion, however for him to go on and struggle the No. 6 ranked man in ‘Chito’ after which placed on a clinic – OK, nice,” Sterling mentioned. “However once more, stacking the deck and favorable matchups so that you can look and seem as you’re ‘him.’

“He ought to have fought Merab (Dvalishvili) first earlier than combating ‘Chito.’ …You get a better title protection towards a man you’re clearly world’s higher than. Stylistically, the man’s not going to attempt to take you down. He can’t take you down as a result of he has no wrestling means, and he’s ranked (No.) 6. He didn’t even need to be in there.”

O’Malley will struggle Sterling’s coaching accomplice Dvalishvili (17-4 MMA, 10-2 UFC) subsequent. The pair headline UFC 306 Sept. 14 at Sphere in Las Vegas.