Sean O'Malley is desperate to get back into UFC title contention and hoping to recapture the bantamweight gold in 2025, 'Suga' has made some big changes to his lavish lifestyle.
The former 135-pound champion was once the king of MMA social media, but no longer; Sean O'Malley has announced he is leaving the social scene. His head coach, Tim Welch, explains the benefits this will bring in 2025.
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Sean O'Malley's coach explains why 'Suga' is quitting social media
In mid-December, Sean O'Malley revealed that he will be taking a step back from his numerous social media outlets, including a 5 million-plus Instagram page, and will not return until after his next fight.
Speaking to Submission Radio, coach Tim Welch explained that while his social media presence has been incredibly lucrative, the time and energy required to maintain the conveyor belt of content is simply too much.
“He has worked so hard on these socials for years and you would be surprised by the amount of money he makes from them. It's crazy, but it's just like now: to win in this top 5, you have to be focused on your education.
“Being creative on Instagram, being creative on Snapchat, being creative on YouTube and then worrying about all your results [and] when they are posted – your mind is thinking about all these things, and it takes more energy than you think.
O'Malley dropped his bantamweight title to Georgian wrestler Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 306 last December; a loss that Welch said “had to happen,” otherwise there would be no room for such drastic lifestyle changes.
“Everyone wants you on their podcast, everyone wants you at their party, celebrities [and] athletes, they message you asking to hang out and you take it all in.
“So for him to put everything down, put down Snapchat, put down Instagram, put down YouTube; He has to do that and it can take him to the next level.”
Sean O'Malley provides an update on the UFC title rematch during a trip to Japan
O'Malley spent his New Year's Eve attending the crazy RIZIN 49: Decade event in Japan, and spoke to the media after the event and teased that he hopes to return to the octagon in mid-2025.
“Ideally Merab beats Umar and I get the rematch, but if it has to be Umar then that's what I want: a title fight, hopefully in the middle of next year, so the winner of that will come very, very soon.”
Coach Welch agrees that the only meaningful next opponent for O'Malley, who was recently revealed as UFC merchandise's fourth best seller of 2024, is the winner of Merab Dvalishvili vs. Umar Nurmagomedov.
“It would definitely be the winner of Umar and Merab. It's like Merab, the scariest thing about him is you're going to get a little tired, he's going to hit your thigh, but you have to be tactical.
“Umar, he can grab you, he can knock your head off, he has a submission threat and he is very sharp – quick with the kicks, stands both left-handed and orthodox, he is confident on his feet.”
That bantamweight title fight is scheduled for the co-main event of UFC 311, scheduled for Saturday, January 28 in Los Angeles. Whoever wins that fight, 'Suga' will be done.
“Both guys have big problems, but Sean is the type of athlete who can step up [bright] lights and turn these guys off when it's on so definitely one of those guys.
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