Sean O’Malley may only fight twice this year, but plans a ‘killing spree’ in 2023
Rising bantamweight start Sean O’Malley usually likes to fight three times a year, but this year may be a different story as he recovers from injuries.
O’Malley is coming off a first-round finish of Raulian Paiva at UFC 269 on Dec. 11, but suffered a broken thumb in the fight and is also nursing a knee injury. He hasn’t been able to train since the win and doesn’t think that he’ll be back inside the octagon until this summer.
“I don’t think they’re having a Vegas card in April, in May. I might not fight for awhile,” O’Malley said during his ‘Suga Sunday Service‘ podcast.
“If I don’t fight until June or July, it just gives me time to get better and improve. I haven’t been able to train since my fight. I’ve had a f*cking fractured thumb since my fight. I haven’t been able to train, so I haven’t been able to improve since the fight until now. I get my cast off soon. That’ll give me a couple of months to improve.”
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“Ideally I get three fights in a year. That’s kind of where my head’s at,” O’Malley said. “If I only fight two, if I get one in July and November or December – Might only get two this year. Fight out the contract, and then boom, go into 2023 with a fat f*cking contract, and just go on a Killing spree.”
O’Malley is ranked No. 12 in the 135-pound division. He’s 7-1 in the UFC and has earned performance-based bonuses in six times.