If there’s one thing Sean O’Malley knows how to do, aside from throwing rainbow-colored punches, it’s aiming high. Whether he’s talking himself up or plotting a comeback, O’Malley’s ambition is as hard to ignore as his highlight-reel knockouts. And with UFC 316 just days away, the self-proclaimed “future GOAT” is ready to prove he’s more than just talk, even if it means facing down the man who took his belt and his pride.
Sean O’Malley Eyes GOAT Status
Sean O’Malley has never been accused of thinking small. “I set out to be one of the greatest of all time, and there’s a path for me to become that,” he says, dead serious but with just enough swagger to keep things interesting. “I go out there, get revenge, get redemption over Merab, take the belt from Merab—I took the belt from Aljo, two of the greatest bantamweights of all time. Defend the belt a few times—this next fight might be my first fight in my prime, if I’ve even hit my prime yet.”
Injuries
Sean O’Malley’s rise has been anything but smooth. After winning Dana White’s Contender Series in 2017, he made a splash with flashy knockouts and a style that screamed star power. But injuries, most notably a Lisfranc foot fracture and later hip surgery, took him out of action for long stretches, threatening to derail his momentum before it truly started. Each comeback, though, was more impressive than the last. He bounced back from a loss to Marlon Vera at UFC 252 with three straight stoppages, and eventually took the bantamweight title from Aljamain Sterling in August 2023.
UFC Champion
His reign as champion was short but lucrative. Sean O’Malley defended his belt once, outpointing Vera in a rematch in March 2024 before running into the relentless Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 306 in September 2024. Dvalishvili’s suffocating pressure and grappling handed Sean O’Malley his first loss in eight fights, ending his title run after just one defense.
UFC 316
O’Malley, who turned 30 shortly after the defeat, admitted to fighting with a torn labrum in his hip, though he’s quick to say he’s not making excuses. Now, at UFC 316 on June 7, 2025, O’Malley gets his shot at redemption. The event, held at Newark’s Prudential Center, is headlined by the rematch between Sean O’Malley and Merab Dvalishvili, who is fresh off a title defense against Umar Nurmagomedov. O’Malley, who has been uncharacteristically quiet on social media and has made sweeping lifestyle changes to focus on training and recovery, says he’s never felt better. Merab Dvalishvili, meanwhile, has vowed to cut back on the theatrics and focus on finishing the fight, promising more damage and less clowning around.
The stakes couldn’t be higher. With both men considered among the best bantamweights in UFC history, the winner at UFC 316 could lay claim to GOAT status in the division. For O’Malley, it’s a chance to reclaim his belt, prove his doubters wrong, and maybe, just maybe, fight in his prime for the first time. For fans, it’s a must-watch main event on a card stacked with talent, including a co-main between Julianna Pena and Kayla Harrison, and plenty of fireworks up and down the lineup.
