A rising star that will compete on the UFC 318 already has plans to call a former champion in New Orleans.
Sean O'Malley is in a difficult position after losing his back-to-back to the current Bantam weight champion, Merab Dvalishvili.
While his colleague 135-Ponder Cory Sandhagen believes that O'Malley can make the necessary adjustments to continue to compete at the top of the division, his next fight is enormously important.
After having worked hard to bring the best version of himself to UFC 316, the lifestyle changes that O'Malley has applied were not enough for him to win the belt back.
As one of the biggest stars in sport, 'Suga' will certainly be in the sights of many contenders, including a competitor who quickly climbed the ranks.
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Vinicius Oliveira believes that a fight between him and Sean O'Malley could happen after UFC 318
On UFC 318, Vinicius Oliveira will want to continue its remarkable start for life in the UFC by including his fourth consecutive victory in the Octagon.
With the #15 ranking order next to his name after his victory over the aforementioned Nurmagomedov earlier this year, he will be confronted with the #12-ranking Kyler Phillips on UFC 318.
In an interview with MMA fights, 'Lok Dog' revealed that he intends to call Sean O'Malley after he has lifted his hand in New Orleans.
“There is a good chance that I will fight against Sean O'Malley. He is great, a complete hunter. Not so complete, but good and versatile and he has a big name in the UFC, although he is not in a good time in the UFC. He is a phenomenon. If he buys the idea. It all happens.
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Despite the fact that he believes that there is a good chance that the fight could happen, Oliveira also noted that if he was in the position of O'Malley, he would not take it.
The Brazilian admitted that there would be a lot on the line for 'Suga' when they are confronted with an emerging competition who currently does not have the name value of one of the best contenders.
“But if I were him, I would not take this fight. What he does not know is that the boys from the ranking might be hungry to go up. That hunger makes us dangerous … I would do it, but maybe if I was him, I wouldn't because he had more to lose than winning.”
Vinicius Oliveira has set his chase aside to the hunter he wants to face the most
In the same interview, Vinicius Oliveira said that he has given up his pursuit of his most important target, at least for the time being.
Earlier this year, Oliveira called Umar Nurmagomedov, but because the former title -publisher has been inactive since January, led his request nowhere.
“The man I want to fight is afraid of me, he will not fight me, and that's Umar Nurmagomedov. Okay, I have already excluded that.”
Although Oliveira's plan to call Sean O'Malley is also very ambitious, Petr Yan will be confronted with the #13-ranked Marcus McRghee next week, so that the Brazilian is not entirely from its depth.