UFC 252: Sean O’Malley takes centre stage as Asia’s hopefuls wait for their shot at Contender Series glory
- Contender Series alumni ‘Sugar’ returns to the Octagon as co-headliner this weekend just four fights into his UFC career
- The 25-year-old’s rapid rise is serving as an inspiration for the fighters waiting for the Asian version of the show to come to fruition
Dana White is quick to produce the reasons “Sugar” Sean O’Malley’s efforts on the Contender Series convinced him that the young bantamweight was going to be a star.
There have been about 5.5 million of them so far, in fact.
That’s the amount of people who have watched O’Malley’s first-round knockout of fellow American Alfred “The Fearless” Khashakyan (11-5), the win that landed the young fighter a contract with the UFC back in 2017.
This Sunday – just four fights into his fully fledged UFC career – and the 25-year-old O’Malley (12-0) returns to the Octagon as a co-headliner against Ecuadorean Marlon “Chito” Vera (15-6-1). His rapid rise is serving as an inspiration for the fighters lining up in the current season of Contender Series, as well as those waiting for the Asian version of the reality show to come to fruition.
“We strategically place people on these [UFC] cards because we know what numbers they do. That’s how big the Contender Series is for us,” White explained to SCMP MMA.