Sean O’Malley Can’t Rely on One Shot… Says No. 1 Bantamweight Contender
For years, Sean O’Malley built his reputation on one-shot knockouts and viral highlights. But in his latest bout, that signature weapon failed him and it didn’t go unnoticed by the man likely next in line for the title.
The UFC’s top-ranked bantamweight contender believes O’Malley’s loss was deeper than just a bad night. It exposed a critical flaw in his game: over-reliance on power and too little adaptability when the going gets tough.
“He looked even more off than the last time”….Sandhagen saw the decline
“He got so focused on stopping takedowns, he forgot to let his offense go,” said Corey Sandhagen, who’s preparing to face Merab Dvalishvili for the title.
Sandhagen, who was cage-side for the bout, didn’t hold back in his breakdown of O’Malley’s performance.
He noted that despite O’Malley making lifestyle changes ditching weed, streaming, and distractions the result was arguably worse than before.
“It sucks that life doesn’t always work like that,” Sandhagen said. “Sean looked even more off than the last time.”
He believes the pressure of facing Merab’s pace and wrestling wore O’Malley down mentally and that he didn’t have a plan B.
Read More: “Thank God He Didn’t Accept My Callout” Sean O’Malley Reacts to Topuria’s UFC 317 Knockout
“You can’t be a one-trick pony anymore” — the game has evolved
According to Sandhagen, O’Malley’s style based on highlight-reel knockouts no longer holds up in today’s UFC bantamweight division.
“He got away for a long time just being able to one-shot knock people out… You just can’t be a one-trick pony anymore.”
The modern contenders are too well-rounded, too conditioned, and too smart. Sandhagen says O’Malley needs to evolve fast if he wants to climb back to the top.
“I made the same mistake” — Sandhagen says he learned the hard way
Sandhagen related O’Malley’s loss to his own fight with Umar Nurmagomedov, where he admits he avoided wrestling exchanges too much — and it backfired.
“I ran from the wrestling exchanges… it made it so I couldn’t do what I usually do.”
That fight taught him that you can’t fight afraid. And that’s exactly what he believes happened to O’Malley: the fear of being taken down broke his rhythm and cost him the fight.
“Merab’s a problem — but he’s beatable” — Sandhagen won’t make the same error
Looking ahead, Sandhagen expects to fight Merab later this year. He respects Merab’s pressure, but says the key is not letting it overwhelm you mentally.
“I’m not buying the narrative that he’s this unbeatable cardio machine… I’m going to beat Merab.”
He says believing in himself — something he’s been working on with Trevor Wittman — is what sets him apart now.
“O’Malley can bounce back… but not with the same style”
Despite the tough loss, Sandhagen believes O’Malley still has a path back to the top — but only if he evolves.
“He’s a great athlete. He just needs to change a few things… not in his personal life, but in his actual fighting style.”
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