Sean O’Malley, the UFC bantamweight champion known for his high-octane fighting style and even flashier hair, has decided to shelve the pink dye – at least for now. The US-born Sean O’Malley, who has become one of the sport’s most recognizable faces (and heads), will step into the Octagon at UFC 316 with his natural hair color, a move that’s as much about convenience as it is about nostalgia.
Sean O’Malley’s Normal Hair for UFC 316
“I just didn’t want to sit down for the pink hair this time. I love the pink hair, but it’s a process. I thought bringing back the OG hair would be pretty cool too.” O’Malley explained this week. “I feel like I’m just evolving. I want to stick around as long as possible, and longevity is on my mind every day. I feel like we haven’t got to see me in my prime—this might be the first fight in my prime.”
For fans who’ve followed O’Malley since his 2017 UFC debut, the hair has always been part of the package. He’s rocked everything from rainbow braids to neon green, but it was the bubblegum pink that became his signature during his rise up the bantamweight ranks. The look was impossible to miss, much like his highlight-reel knockouts of Eddie Wineland, Thomas Almeida, and Raulian Paiva.
Sean O’Malley, 30, captured the UFC bantamweight belt in August 2023 with a stunning TKO win over Aljamain Sterling at UFC 292. He followed up with a successful defense against Marlon “Chito” Vera at UFC 299.
While the pink hair may be on pause, O’Malley’s confidence is as vibrant as ever. He’s continued to build his brand outside the cage, hosting the popular TimboSugarShow podcast and racking up millions of followers across social media. But make no mistake, he’s focused on legacy. “I want to be one of the greats,” he’s said repeatedly, and with his prime years supposedly just beginning, O’Malley is betting that the “OG look” will be just as iconic as the pink.
The main event of UFC 316 is serving up a rematch with stakes as high as the Prudential Center’s rafters and just as much tension. Champion Merab Dvalishvili, fresh off a 12-fight winning streak and still riding the high from snatching the belt from Sean O’Malley last September, is out to prove his first win was no fluke and silence any whispers about injuries or off-nights. Sean O’Malley, meanwhile, is coming in with a healed hip, a social media detox, and the kind of chip on his shoulder that only losing your title can bring.
