Just after ending Aljamain Sterling’s title reign at UFC 292, Sean O’Malley aims to whoop Marlon ‘Chito’ Vera’s “a**” in rematch

At UFC 292, Aljamain Sterling and Sean O’Malley squared off in the main event at Boston’s TD Garden. Despite being the reigning champion, Sterling couldn’t secure his fourth title defense against the second-ranked bantamweight contender.

In the bout of tonight’s UFC main event, the championship belt for the 135-lb division was up for grabs. Despite Aljamain being favored due to his impressive records and MMA career, the audience at the arena expressed their disapproval by booing The Funk Master upon his entrance.

Sean O’Malley calls out Marlon ‘Chito’ Vera

After his remarkable win, Sean O’Malley didn’t delay in setting his sights on his next opponent in the octagon. During the post-fight interview with Joe Rogan, O’Malley called for a rematch against Marlon Chito Vera scheduled for December.

“Did Chito win? Was it boring? Probably. I’ll whoop ‘Chito’s’ ass in December in [Las] Vegas at T-Mobile [Arena]. Let’s f—ing go!” Sean said.

Sean O'Malley calls for the Chito Vera rematch in December! 🏆🍬 #UFC292 pic.twitter.com/xwL6A8sOXk

— UFC (@ufc) August 20, 2023

Marlon Vera, ranked 6th in the UFC bantamweight division, was originally slated to face Henry Cejudo tonight. However, Pedro Munhoz stepped in last-minute to replace Aljamain Sterling in Boston. Despite his recent loss to Cory Sandhagen, the Ecuadorian fighter emerged triumphant against Pedro.

Later tonight Chito embraced Sean O’Malley’s challenge and agreed to a rematch against Sugar in December. Their initial encounter took place at UFC 252 in 2020, where Chito and Sean clashed for the first time, resulting in Sean’s only career defeat in professional MMA. Now, in their rematch, Suga aims to seek redemption for that loss.

'Chito' Vera on Sean O'Malley: "I think he's in love with me" ❤️ #UFC292 pic.twitter.com/dBolVpm8PG

— MMA Fighting (@MMAFighting) August 20, 2023

Sean O’Malley KO’s Aljamain Sterling

Aljamain Sterling’s ambition to establish himself as a bantamweight legend through four consecutive title defenses fell short. O’Malley, often seen as the only one capable of ending Sterling’s reign, did just that in their bout tonight.

In the first round, both fighters approached cautiously without seeking takedowns or knockdowns. The Funk Master, however, seemed hasty in his actions, frequently targeting Sean’s leg, while Sean remained composed.

The turning point came in the second round when Sterling attempted an attack, leaving his face exposed. Capitalizing on this, Sean delivered a precise punch to Sterling’s face, causing him to tumble to the mat. Sean followed up with hammer fists, prompting the referee to step in and declare a technical knockout victory for Sean O’Malley.