“Thank God He Didn’t Accept My Callout” Sean O’Malley Reacts to Topuria’s UFC 317 Knockout
UFC Bantamweight Champion Sean O’Malley couldn’t believe what he witnessed at UFC 317 and he’s grateful he didn’t step into the cage with Ilia Topuria.
After Topuria’s stunning first-round knockout of Charles Oliveira, O’Malley reacted live:
“Thank God he didn’t accept my callout.”
“Islam vs. Topuria needs to happen.”
“He’s up there with Jon Jones.”
The reaction quickly went viral following Topuria’s title win, where he extended his undefeated record to 17-0 and claimed the vacant UFC lightweight belt.
Topuria Finishes Oliveira in One
UFC 317 took place June 28, 2025, at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. In the main event, Topuria demolished former champion Charles Oliveira in under five minutes with a vicious ground-and-pound.
It was one of the most brutal knockouts in recent lightweight history.
📖 Crazyy: Topuria shocks Oliveira with first-round KO
Suga Sean Grateful It Didn’t Happen
Sean O’Malley had previously hinted at calling out Topuria, but after UFC 317, he made it clear — he’s glad the fight never materialized.
“He’s up there with Jon Jones,” O’Malley said.
“Islam vs. Topuria needs to happen.”
His comments reflect growing respect across the UFC roster for Topuria’s power and precision.
Watch full reaction here:
Topuria Breaks 10M Followers
Topuria’s momentum isn’t limited to inside the Octagon.
He recently passed 10 million Instagram followers, becoming the fifth most-followed UFC fighter behind McGregor, Khabib, Rousey, and Makhachev.
📖 Read More: 23-year-old delivers dominant performance at UFC 317
Future Matchups: Islam? Arman? Paddy?
While fans are clamoring for a superfight with Islam Makhachev, Arman Tsarukyan is currently the expected next challenger, though the UFC hasn’t made an official announcement.
Post-fight, Topuria also had a fiery faceoff with Paddy Pimblett, which Dana White quickly shut down:
📖 Read: Dana White slams post-fight faceoff between Paddy & Topuria
O’Malley’s reaction sums it up perfectly — Topuria is now on everyone’s radar, and even the biggest stars are starting to second-guess their callouts.
📖 More UFC 317 coverage:
