• UK
  • World
    • USA
  • Entertainment
    • Celeb
    • Showbiz
    • Magazine
  • Politics
  • Sports
  • Gaming
  • Tech
  • Science
    • Education
  • Insurance
  • Business
  • Auto
  • ToS/Contact
    • ToS
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact
NewsExplored
  • UK
  • World
    • USA
  • Entertainment
    • Celeb
    • Showbiz
    • Magazine
  • Politics
  • Sports
  • Gaming
  • Tech
  • Science
    • Education
  • Insurance
  • Business
  • Auto
  • ToS/Contact
    • ToS
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact
  • Facebook

  • Twitter

  • LinkedIn

  • Tumblr

  • RSS

Sports

UFC 252: Sean O’Malley on his dog, his colourful hair and making Snoop Dogg go crazy

UFC 252: Sean O’Malley on his dog, his colourful hair and making Snoop Dogg go crazy
Newsexplored
14th August 2020
8
SHARES
ShareTweet
SubscribeRedditGoogleWhatsappStumbleuponPinterestDiggLinkedinTumblrTelegram
Views:
2
Sean O'Malley punches Eddie Wineland during their fight at UFC 250
Sean O’Malley beat Eddie Wineland at UFC 250 in June to take his professional record to 12-0

With his extravagant tattoos, explosive punching power, and huge, colourful hair, Sean O’Malley is perhaps the most flamboyant fighter in the UFC.

Even his dog has got caught up in the hype.

O’Malley went for a rainbow design in his hair at UFC 250, when the American produced a brutal first-round knockout of Eddie Wineland to earn a co-main event spot for Saturday’s UFC 252.

Next up for the unbeaten bantamweight, 25, is Marlon Vera so this time he has dyed his hair the red, yellow and blue of his Ecuadorian opponent’s national flag. And, for the first time, his Bichon Frise had his hair dyed too.

“That’s my boy Cush,” O’Malley tells BBC Sport. “He wanted his hair like his dad so we made it happen.

“I’m just showing my Ecuadorian fans some love. Every fight I like to do a little something different and have fun. The fans love it, the media love it, it’s something to talk about.”

Since returning to action in March after two years out, he has become one of the sport’s most talked about fighters.

“I’m knocking people out, I’ve got colourful hair and I’m talking a lot of smack so that’s how it goes,” he says. “The more that talk the better.”

‘Welcome to the Sugar Show’

Sean O'Malley and his dog Cush
O’Malley and his dog Cush have both had their hair dyed before the fight with Marlon Vera

One of O’Malley’s first MMA coaches nicknamed him ‘Sugar’ because he’s “sweet to watch”, and UFC fans soon got a taste when he appeared on the first season of Dana White’s Contender Series in 2017.

He showcased his eye-catching style with spinning kicks and flying knees before producing a one-punch knockout of Alfred Khashakyan which brought UFC president White to his feet.

O’Malley celebrated with a backflip before climbing on top of the cage and roaring “Welcome to the Sugar Show”. Meanwhile, rapper Snoop Dogg, providing alternative commentary, screamed his name over and over, adding: “I gotta meet this kid, man.”

data-ad-format="auto">

It was no surprise to see O’Malley awarded a UFC contract that night before hanging out with Snoop in his trailer.

O’Malley, who trains in Phoenix, Arizona, then showed he has grit to go with the glamour by claiming a decision win over Andre Soukhamthath on is full UFC debut in March 2018 despite suffering a foot injury.

After taking his professional record to 10-0, O’Malley had to conduct his post-fight interview while he lay on the canvas, and the rising star was then forced into a two-year break.

‘I’m co-main event because I’m making Snoop Dogg go crazy’

In October 2018 and then August 2019, O’Malley was given six-month bans for testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance, ostarine, although the UFC acknowledgedexternal-link the second occasion was a case of “supplement contamination” and there had been “no evidence of intentional use”.


It still meant a total of two years out of the octagon.

It also gave O’Malley time to reassess his career and build his brand. He does a podcast with his friend and coach Tim Welch, he live streams on Twitch and has a YouTube channel.

Last month, O’Malley launched his own merchandise range, with the first batch of 100 jerseys selling out in 39 seconds, but he says fighting comes first.

“I got a bit of notoriety from the Andre fight and I think those two years off gave me a lot of time to think and understand that I have to stay grounded, keep the same circle around me and enjoy the little things in life to keep me humble,” he says.

“There’s a lot of free time as a professional athlete and I capitalise on that. I enjoy doing all those things. But I’m not in the co-main event spot because I’ve got a million followers on Instagram, it’s because I’m knocking people out, making Snoop Dogg go crazy.”

Sugar Show 2.0

Sean O'Malley and Jose Quinonez before UFC 248
O’Malley looked typically flamboyant for the media day before his fight with Jose Quinonez at UFC 248

In his first fight back, O’Malley finished Mexico’s Jose Quinonez in the first round in March. He dubbed it “Sugar Show 2.0”, but really it’s the same old Sugar.

“I don’t go in there thinking I’ve got to be fancy, it’s just what I do,” he says. “I’m a natural-born fighter. I think my style, my body type, is the best for fighting.”

O’Malley followed that up with the victory over Wineland and he now has his third fight in five months.

It again takes place in an empty arena in Las Vegas, so has asked fans to film their reaction “when” he knocks Vera out.

“I just see another highlight reel KO,” he says. “Knowing I’m going to have millions watch me do what I love to do is my motivation. I enjoy watching how I make people feel and the fan reaction to my last knockout was amazing.”

O’Malley has an Irish grandmother and Conor McGregor would be his “dream fight”, but he feels challenging for Petr Yan’s bantamweight title in 2021 “would make sense”.

To do that, he must first beat Vera in a “striker versus grappler match-up” in the latest episode of the Sugar Show.

Around the BBC - SoundsAround the BBC footer - Sounds

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Google+ (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
  • Share on Skype (Opens in new window)

Related

Related Itemscolourfulcrazymakingmalleysnoop
Sports
14th August 2020
Newsexplored @newsexploredweb

Related Itemscolourfulcrazymakingmalleysnoop

More in Sports

  • Read More
    Americas Cup: Sir Ben Ainslie’s Ineos Team UK into Challenger Series final

    Views:2 The final begins on 13 February Ben Ainslie’s Ineos Team UK are into the final of...

    Newsexplored 14th August 2020
  • Read More
    Paolo Odogwu: How Wasps star carved way into England squad

    Views:2 Odogwu played for Leicester and Sale before this breakthrough season with Wasps Rugby is a game...

    Newsexplored 14th August 2020
  • Read More
    Stoke City 1-2 Watford: Troy Deeney stars as Hornets win in Potteries

    Views:2 Troy Deeney’s second penalty of the week set Watford on their way to victory at Stoke...

    Newsexplored 14th August 2020
  • Read More
    Transfer rumours: Rice, Van Dijk, Pogba, Bertrand, Ings, Moyes, Odegaard

    Views:2 West Ham midfielder Declan Rice, 22, could be available for about £50m in the summer and...

    Newsexplored 14th August 2020
  • Read More
    Pro14: Scarlets 10-13 Cardiff Blues

    Views:2 Matthew Morgan takes on Jonathan Davies and Gareth Davies Scarlets (0) 10 Tries: Thomson Cons: Halfpenny...

    Newsexplored 14th August 2020
  • Read More
    Netball Legend Series: England beat Superleague All Stars 67-44

    Views:2 Helen Housby helped England pull away from the All Stars team after half-time England sealed a...

    Newsexplored 14th August 2020
  • Read More
    Dr Richard Freeman tribunal: Ex-GB Cycling medic ‘crossed the line’

    Views:2 Mary O’Rourke (left) is defending Dr Richard Freeman (second left) at the medical tribunal in Manchester...

    Newsexplored 14th August 2020
  • Read More
    Six Nations: Odogwu and Randall called up by England

    Views:2 Odogwu failed to score a try in eight games last season, but has been in fine...

    Newsexplored 14th August 2020
  • Read More
    McGregor vs Poirier 2: Conor McGregor returns at UFC 257 – all you need to know

    Views:2 Poirier v McGregor: Poirier gifts McGregor Louisiana hot sauce in weigh-in Venue: Fight Island, Abu Dhabi...

    Newsexplored 14th August 2020
  • Read More
    Australian Open 2021: Andy Murray’s hopes of playing in tournament over

    Views:2 Andy Murray last played at the Australian Open in 2019 – which he thought might have...

    Newsexplored 14th August 2020
  • Read More
    Kevin de Bruyne: Manchester City midfielder out for four to six weeks

    Views:2 De Bruyne has scored three times and completed 15 assists in 23 games for Manchester City...

    Newsexplored 14th August 2020
  • Read More
    England in Sri Lanka: Angelo Mathews hits century on first day of second Test

    Views:2 Mathews’ hundred was his third against England in Tests Second Test, Galle (day one) Sri Lanka...

    Newsexplored 14th August 2020
Scroll for more
Tap
data-ad-format="auto">
NewsExplored

NewsExplored - Making sure all the latest news is explored?

Contact us for help

  • Popular

  • Latest

  • Comments

  • Bridgerton: Everything you need to know about the Netflix drama
    Entertainment25th December 2020
  • The Papers: ‘Fortress Britain’ and ‘modern miracle workers’
    UK15th January 2021
  • Australian Open: Heather Watson among 47 players to quarantine in Melbourne after Covid cases on flights
    Sports16th January 2021
  • Fifa 21 and Frozen 2 top digital sales of 2020
    Tech8th January 2021
  • Kamala Harris: What the vice-president did on her first day
    USA21st January 2021
  • Biden inauguration: New president to be sworn in amid Trump snub
    USA20th January 2021
  • Biden inauguration: Democrat to be sworn in as Trump leaves office
    USA20th January 2021
  • Biden inauguration rehearsal paused amid US Capitol lockdown
    USA18th January 2021
  • Les Rehrer says:

    Hello Its me :P and thanks for this post

  • optumrx login says:

    Thank For News.

  • Kent Laatsch says:

    Please let me know if you're looking for a writer…

  • Bob says:

    RT News was where I learned that Erdogan controlled isis.…

Copyright © 2018 Top News Theme. Theme by MVP Themes, powered by Wordpress.

Toto Wolff considering future as Mercedes boss after 2020 season
Diamond League Monaco: Joshua Cheptegei breaks 5,000m world record
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.Ok