Sean O’Malley hopes Marlon Vera beats Cory Sandhagen at UFC Fight Night 219
Top UFC bantamweight contender Sean O’Malley will be rooting for Marlon Vera to defeat Cory Sandhagen in the UFC Fight Night 219 main event in February.
Vera (20-7-10 is ranked No. 4 in the 135-pound division. Sandhagen (15-4) is ranked No. 5. The winner will put themselves in a position to potentially receive a title fight. Vera handed O’Malley his only career loss, but revenge isn’t O’Malley’s motivation. “Sugar” wants opponents that are going to draw the most interest and generate to the most money.
Former two-division UFC titleholder Henry Cejudo recently classified Vera as a ‘journeyman’ fighter, but O’Malley disagrees.
“I used to call ‘Chito’ a journeyman, but that was before he beat all those good guys. I didn’t think ‘Chito’ was going to get as good as he did, but he’s gotten good. He’s gotten really good,” O’Malley said on his BroMalley Show on YouTube.
“I hope he beats Cory,” continued O’Malley. “Aljo (Aljamain Sterling) beats Henry. Aljo moves up to 145. Me versus ‘Chito,’ July. A massive fight for the belt, or Aljo beats Henry. Comes back. I sleep Aljo like Marlon Moraes did, and then I beat up ‘Chito.’ Either way, it doesn’t matter to me as long as ‘Chito’ gets the job done.”
“I like Cory, but ‘Chito’ is a massive fight. Me versus anybody is a good-sized fight. The biggest fight in the division is me versus anybody, but me versus ‘Chito,’ the people have been waiting for it. It’s getting closer.”