UFC bantamweight contender Sean O’Malley has slammed those who believe opponent Pedro Munhoz won the first round of their clash at UFC 276.
In one of the most anticipated fights at this past weekend’s International Fight Week-held pay-per-view, rising star O’Malley looked to secure a big step up the 135-pound ladder against Munhoz, who undoubtedly represented his stiffest test to date.
Unfortunately, the opportunity went begging for “Sugar” after a second-round eye poke rendered the Brazilian veteran unable to continue. Referee Jason Herzog waved the fight off as a no contest after Munhoz told the doctor he couldn’t see, which was later revealed to be as result of a corneal abrasion.
After the result, the scorecards were released by the promotion, which showed that two of the three judges awarded the opening round to Munhoz, a verdict that has left them in the crosshairs of O’Malley.
O’Malley: The Scorecards Made “Zero Sense”
During his appearance at the UFC 276 post-fight press conference, O’Malley gave his take on how the fight played out.
In a tentative first frame, “The Young Punisher” went to work attacking O’Malley’s legs, which has often been pointed to as one of the 27-year-old’s vulnerabilities. Having claimed to have checked all of them, whilst “piecing” Munhoz up in return, “Sugar” was left baffled by those who scored the opening stanza for his opponent.
“I was dominating that fight. I checked everyone of his leg kicks. I could feel his shins cracking,” O’Malley said. “Every time he would throw a kick, I’d check it and it could tell it would hurt him. I didn’t get hit one time. I was dominating that fight. I was piecing him up. I was finding my range. It sucks.
“Half those judges kick me and I’ll check their kick, and they’ll be like, ‘Oh, okay. That hurts.’ That’s a strike for me. That hurt Pedro. Every time he would kick me and I’d check it, that hurt him,” O’Malley added. “For those judges to say that’s a score for him, they’re completely stupid. Literally just stupid.”
If O’Malley’s disbelief at the scorecards of Mike Bell and Doug Crosby wasn’t already evident, the Montana native’s later comments certainly hammered it home, with “Sugar” questioning if they even watched the fight.
“I was winning the fight. I can’t believe the judges scored — I literally didn’t get hit once. Were they watching? I didn’t get hit, how could you score that (for Munhoz)? That makes zero sense,” O’Malley concluded.
Who do you think won the first round between Sean O’Malley and Pedro Munhoz at UFC 276?