Bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley sat down with Megan Olivi to reflect on his journey to bantamweight gold and all that …
so 2023 was really your year I fought once I feel like it’s hard I mean I was a big fight but it was only one time so it feels like I could have done more but you know hard to top what I did do right became the world champion I mean for you what’s the level of activity that’s preferred in the fight game uh title fights definitely change it I mean just the training camp alone’s you know a lot but uh I’d say minimum two two fights a year um I remember like as an amateur we fight five six seven times a year obviously the higher level competition you know when you’re champ you can you know the bandwe division there’s actually a lot of people that are like waiting to fight so it’s different than some divisions where it’s like who’s the next guy we don’t really know right the bandwe division there’s really not a shortage of who’s next so you know I’d like to two two two three times a year would be would be nice but it’s it’s hard uh hard to guess take it one at a time yeah well that’s the future let’s talk about the past when you look at the road that it took to get that title around your waist I mean what really comes to mind when you explore the journey um it was uh I think the UFC did a good job with you know placing me in certain fights and stuff but it was a lot of Knockouts I love looking back on the Highlight Reel um that never gets old so you know I like the narrative was like I never fight the toughest guys and then you know 20202 well you know I fought Peter Jan who was number one next fight of fight the greatest band of all time aljo so my last two fights kind of take that narrative away um cuz I was never turning fights down I was just accepting the fights they offered me so uh you know it was it it’s it’s worked out perfect for the Alaine fight you know you kept this secret kind of really close to the best that in some ways you were physically compromised yeah why why still go ahead with the fight then this is you know this could be a life-changing opportunity if it doesn’t go your way it might be a really long time do you can get back in line Main Event Boston I had to show up um you know if it would have been I I tried to Grapple a little bit and it just there was I was not able to Grapple at all obviously I’ve said that plenty of times but uh you know I was able to kickbox and my whole goal going into the fight before I was injured was do not let him take me down that was the whole game plan I was you know it wasn’t shying away from them I’m not I don’t want him to take me down so after I had the rib injury it was just like that was the game plan just had I literally could not let him take me down two he he had two attempts you know failed on both so I just looked at as like if I just keep it where I need to keep it on the feet I know I can knock him out and I went in there with that confidence that you know I’m going to do I know what I’m capable of doing and uh got the job done you know you’re really realistic when you speak to us about fights and you’re very aware of all the threats and dangers that are presented by your opponent when you got into the Octagon that night in Boston I mean what was your vision of what might happen uh I was going to knock him out I I seen it like I knew I was capable of it and I just you know I just it still seems like a dream it still seems like that really happened like that perfect it really and it did I haven’t woke up from a dream um I knew I was capable of that I just literally was 100% self-belief in myself that I could go out there and put his lights out um I just had a fight very smart and even watching that second round back I made a mistake I threw a tep kick and you know can came off my back foot fell gave him an opportunity to put me up against the cage where he wanted me where he got me at the end of the first round he didn’t do anything with it didn’t have enough time I you know I had good defense Up Against the Cage then going in that second round early on in the in the round so that was a huge mistake that I still it still bugs me that that happened knowing what happened after you know it makes me feel a little bit better but the fact that I my whole thing was like I cannot make a mistake against this guy I cannot make a mistake and to make a stupid little mistake like that to uh throw throw a body kick fall on the ground him Push Me Up Against the Cage um but I’ve been working a lot I’ve been working on the defensive wrestling for you know that’s been everyone’s plan my entire career was take me down so it’s like I wasn’t able to train those last six weeks but I was able to train you know those last 10 years when you relive that night in your mind can you like think about that moment where the belt is wrapped around your waist um yeah it’s it’s weird like that moment so like random Vivid moments I remember like a vivid moment the crowd yelling F you Al Jo like I remember that being very Vivid um you know like it’s hard for me to remember moments in the and I feel like I’m just like living in a different world in there but yeah kind of I remember like taking the pictures at the family after Dana wrapping the Bel belt around me you know talking to Rogan but the fight itself I don’t feel like I remember too much of right after a little bit bits and pieces but it’s like it’s hard to remember stuff like that yeah so much adrenaline going through your system as well um you know after the fight Sean you had this big entourage and I’m sure that you guys had a lot of fun you did some celebrating so I’m curious like what were those moments like compared to when you had your first moment of real calm and peace after becoming the world champion that well that fight got over so late technically fought Sunday morning so all day Saturday just kind of sat around fought Sunday didn’t get to the hotel till like 3:30 4:00 a.m. so usually after the fights I’ve partied with the boys and went out and got you know a little buzzed up sucked on some happy dads but uh whoa that drank some happy dads I got to rephrase that one that one H go viral with that one that didn’t come out right um so I didn’t drink after we just kind of went up to the hotel ate some pizza hung out um so it’s was actually kind of peaceful right after the fight really like we didn’t we went up to the hotel the team was there and uh it was actually you know very chill other than surfing on Twitter and and Instagram for about 6 hours loling at people and had a good time with that cuz there’s a lot of people I have no shot there’s zero chance there’s no way and uh so I got to get some good Giggles in with that but yeah after the fight you know I didn’t we didn’t we had a little party the next weekend took the boys out but uh yeah so was actually you know pretty peaceful on uh you know flight home had a jet of course well home um from Boston and uh there was a little peaceful on that too yeah what were what were your thoughts to yourself when you’re in those Quiet Moments Like You obious viously had all the confidence of the world that you would accomplish this goal but it still had to be some really nice selft talk after being able to do that yeah I just feel like that was just like the beginning so I it is cool it it you never take that away from me I’ve been World Champ that’s you know was the dream once I started like 171 18 when I wanted to be in the UFC when I wanted to be World Champ that’s cool but I still feel like I have so much to do um and I knew Cheeto won that night so I knew knew like that was going to happen next I didn’t know when I was calling for December you know USC already had plans for December I already have plans for this plans for that so you know it ends up being in March so I was kind of waiting around for that but yeah I feel like just time to get back to work so you brought up Cheeto let’s talk about Cheeto um and I’m glad you brought up the timeline because I think some people were surprised to see that they had to wait until March to see you compete again but that wasn’t necessarily the timeline of your choice yeah I mean it works out better for me not like looking back I I just like competing I like performing I want to you know do it more um but I think March works out the best I think it’s you know about four months away so that that works out perfect for I like 12 weeks I like good three months of Camp um so that’s going to work out nicely but uh yeah what do you think when you look back upon that first fight with Cheeto I mean how how do you assess the whole thing what are your honest opinions I was whooping his ass he got lucky that’s that’s how I felt every ever since that fight happened and I do believe truly he will never admit it but he knows how lucky he got that night um but it worked out good you know here we are I’m defending you know I get pay-per-view points it’s you know there’s a story behind it makes it that much bigger it’s bigger than anybody else in the division so the fact that that happened August 20th August 2020 and then I win the belt August 2023 you know it’s pretty it was three years later and uh you know so the fight it just it it OB it’s the one that H makes the most sense um yeah I’m very excited never been this excited for a fight really well I mean each fight I probably will say that but yeah there’s something extra on this one and you know they they talk about championship fights and they say like yes you get the belt but you really prove you’re a champion with their first title defense are you a subscriber to that thought I agree with that I feel like uh I mean I definitely feel like the champ but it’s there’s something you know you got to defend it I feel like going out there defending it and uh you know feel a little bit more like the champ so yeah I agree with that what does Cheeto from 2020 compared to Cheeto from 2023 like what do those differences look like in your mind as an opponent um I think you know everyone in the UFC is always improving you know you book fights you go through training camps you get better each fight um I haven’t watched the Pedro Muno fight against Cheeto to be honest um so I haven’t I haven’t watched that I watched his fight against Frankie Edgar that I thought he lost until you know knocked him out which he knocked him out fair but I thought he losing most of that fight um I thought he looked really good against Rob font uh thought he looked decent against Jose Aldo so you know he’s making improvements he’s fought some good guys uh I just feel like I was better then and I’m you know better now so I feel like I’m going to go out there and get the job done do you feel like you’ve had a substantial growth in those three years yeah oh yeah I feel like yeah a ton I think I fought you I fought three times in 2020 2021 I think I fought twice 2020 I think or 2022 I think I fought twice so I fought a good amount of time since that fight I think we both have actually both fought quite a bit since that fight and uh yeah it’s going to be interesting you know at 135 you you mentioned it when we started this conversation there’s so much talent and there’s so many people waiting for fights how how did Cheeto become the guy that was going to get the opportunity because you have a whole line OHS money money 100% and it’s not even just my call if I if it was my call it would be Cheeto but it’s not my call it’s the UFC’s call the UFC pick Cheeto because me vers Cheeto is bigger fight than me vers morab me vers Cory you know those are big fights because I’m involved but me versus Cheeto like I said three years before I won the belt that happened and uh it’s I think it’s twice as big of a fight as me versus the other people yeah are you at all looking forward to closing the Cheeto chapter after the fight because since really the leadup to your original fight there’s been so much talk about the two of you and then the way that fight ended the talk continued and it’s just been like several years now of being like are they going to fight again when should they fight again is there any part of you that’s like I just want this part over and done with not I mean I don’t really feel like that because I I never I could have got that rematch right away but I said I’m going to get that rematch when I want it when the time’s right I’m going to call for that rematch and I’ll get it I could have got it whenever I just waited until the time was right but I’ve never lost sleep over it I truly don’t feel like I lost manto man skill for skill I don’t feel like he beat me so I don’t feel like uh I need to get that one back this is purely a money fight like I’m going to make way more money fighting him I get pay-per-view this fight than I would fight any of these other guys so this is a money fight for me I don’t really feel like I have to get this back talking about money and money fights I mean how has life changed for you since becoming the champion both personally and then professionally um I don’t really feel like they changed too much either way I think a lot of people before their Champs are you know maybe making a few hundred thousand dolls here and there I was a multi-millionaire before I was Champion I don’t think a lot of people so so when I go out there and win the belt and I’m champed now it’s like I’m still you know making a lot of money love money but I don’t feel like I went from not rich to Rich where I feel like some Champs that’s how it goes like I’m never rich now I’m rich I’ve been Rich for a while so that didn’t really change me and I feel like I felt like I was champ before this champ too I was the biggest name in the division for a long time and uh so yeah I just I mean I always had a Target on my back usually the Champ’s like all right I want to you I want to beat this guy I’ve had a Target on my back since you know the contender series since Snoop Dogg was going crazy I’ve kind of always had that Target so you know I felt like champ for a while um life does not really feel much different to be honest I think uh you know maybe maybe defend the belt a few more times maybe it will but I think it’s a good thing I still feel like the same sure how did your daughter react does she understand no she doesn’t understand yet she doesn’t like sometimes I’ll watch the fight on you know YouTuber or ESPN and uh that’s daddy like she’ll she’ll picture me Point me out while I’m fighting but uh I don’t think she has any idea she just turned three a few days ago so she’s still a little bit too young to really understand she loves going to Jiu-Jitsu though she just runs around she doesn’t really do anything yet but she likes to say I want to go to jiujitsu and run around so that’s good yeah that’s great speaking of the gym I mean does anything change for you now that you are champion in terms of your training is it exactly the same and how quickly did you get back in the gym cuz I know you you’re you’re constantly training um I am building right now I just got the concrete laid while I was gone getting a nice Warehouse on my property going to put a fulls siiz octagon in there because you know every gym I’ve trained at and every gym I’ve ever really been to they’ve always had the small the Apex cage and I hate that cage it’s too small I just do not like it so I’m getting a you know fullsize octagon in my warehouse that’s being done right now it should be done for Camp so i’ like I’ll probably start sparring in there but as far as just like training day-to-day Jiu-Jitsu hit Ms all that stuff I don’t mind going to the you know Tim’s gym and doing that that’s feels good but sparring and and I’ll probably have some more personal sessions at my house but yeah I’m glad you mentioned Tim what was it like for you we talked so much about it before the fight to actually hand that belt to him and and have that moment together yeah it was cool I think we were both kind of in the same mindset like it was really cool I was happening but we’re both like all right we got to get back to work like there’s still a lot to do he’s open you know he has a ton of students he open he has his own gym in in Peoria and uh so he’s you know right back to work he’s owns the gym he’s got to make sure everything’s running smoothly so it was really cool in the moment um it was cool a few weekends like you go out to the club and you know your song H it’s like it feels good but now it’s like okay it’s been a couple months it’s we’re over it we we’re ready to get back to work um the face off with Cheeto yesterday made it feel so real that felt like uh just felt good may you I wanted to get really back to work anyway but now that I have this is like more official it feels feels good ready to go you know I you guys are such students of the game both you and Tim and I’m curious if you’ve heard this Mantra by Teddy Atlas our good friend and obviously a legend in the boxing game where he said the champion gets better by about 30% by just having the belt do you believe that do you believe something about your aura or your skill is elevated by accomplishing this goal um I get that I feel like I feel like I felt that when I knocked out Alfred when I knocked out on the contender series I feel like I took that 30% like just going back to the gym I’m like oh wow I can do that um and then knocking or beating Peter was was another one where I was like okay I always knew I could compete but this was the first time I fought I fought Peter Yan who in my eyes one still one of the best in the division and I went out there and it was a very close fight um but I got the job done and then knocking out aljo yeah so I I feel like uh for the most part I would agree with that but um I did gain a lot of confidence knowing aljo in my eyes was the hardest fight in the division the best Grappler one of the best wrestlers he’s really well at putting together defended the belt more than anyone uh he was just a very very dangerous opponent so to go out there stuff both of his takedowns and then get him out of there in seven minutes we fought and and and take him out um definitely gained a lot of confidence yeah do you think you’ll ever see aljo again uh I’ll probably see him at the pi because I lives there in competition uh Never Say Never but I like I said there’s so many guys in and at 35 and you know his whole narrative is I’m going up to 45 these weight cuts are too hard and I go put his lights down well maybe I’ll stay down here at 35 uh so we’ll see I think I mean the dude says he walked around 175 that’s ridiculous I’m I’m maxed out right now 160 prob so if you’re you know that’s 15 pounds heavier than I am I I don’t know why you wouldn’t go up to 45 unless you’re a little insecure about your skills and you’re like H maybe I should go down to 35 these guys are a little smaller you know I think he has the skills to fight at 145 but maybe he doesn’t have it up here in such a talent Rich Division and God it’s 135 I think is the most stacked right now currently um does it give something extra to you obviously being the world champion is incredible it’s the end goal for every athlete who steps in there but is there something special knowing that you’re the world champion of probably the best division in the UFC as well yeah I do think that is very cool I agree I think the bandwe division right now is the best division in the UFC and to be you know champ that feels great you know it feels uh it’s exciting you know with with the championship World title comes a lot of responsibility that some maybe don’t realize and when athletes some athletes get into that position they don’t love which is the media Spotlight you are here in New York City you’re doing a ton of media obligations I know your days are packed and that just gets to be heavier and heavier as you continue on in the leadup to this fight do you like all of this and how do you embrace it and make sure that you’re you’re able to have the energy to do it all plus train plus prepare for a fight yeah I think I was eased into it like I feel like even when I fought you know Piva or Pedro Munos or Peter like I was I had my media days were Championship media days I had as much media as the champs did as the main aventor did going into those fights so I feel like I’m used to it at this point um coming to New York you know I was like not I’m not going to train I’m going to do media for 3 4 days it’ll be good for me um I’m actually leaving today oh yeah yeah I haven’t seen my princess Atlanta since because I had to go to Atlanta for a few days so I left Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday won’t see her you know we get in super late Thursday so I’m ready to get back home and see my little princess and uh get back to work but yeah doing Media stuff like this it’s part of the game I’ve always been I like the business aspect of it I like the media I love the fighting so I I enjoy it all to where some Fighters don’t they’re lost but to your credit it it is an exhausting thing it really is and I don’t think people really understand what that means to do all these media obligations plus everything else so kudos to you for being able to do all of that um I know that you are a big fan of meditation so when you meditate upon 2024 the rematch all of the goals that you have I mean how does Shar Shan stay on the throne uh I yeah I just you know I got to take a day at a time and just get through each day and uh try to make the best out of each day um uh but yeah I mean by the end of 2024 I’d like to fight two times youo Cheeto obviously March I would love to go out there and put his lights out you know winning a decision is boring just that doesn’t sound very exciting to go out there I mean if it’s a war maybe but even then it’s like put taking someone out they’re done they’re finished they couldn’t continue that’s that’s what I’m that’s what I want um and then I would like to get another one in by the end of the year and be the biggest star in sports not just Combat Sports I think I go out there and put two beautiful performances together I will be as big as Connor uh the UFC’s grown 40 50% since Connor has really was in his prime that Co really boosted the UFC so I have a lot more eyeballs a lot more opportunity to become you know more of a star and uh you know people when I say stuff like that people always like oh you want to be Conor he’s the biggest star in Combat Sports of course I would you know want to be as big as him like when people say that sounds a little silly I know I acted like I was just going to end that interview but I I I mean when I used to speak to Connor in the leadup to when he was a more active fighter in the leadup to his fights he would talk to me about these different goals such as the Forbes list and you know all these different thing I want to be the not just the wealthiest fighter I want to be the the wealthiest athlete of the year do you have goals like that that you’ve set for yourself 100% yeah yeah especially seeing like Connor do it I I believed in myself and knew wanted to do stuff like that before Connor kind of came on the scene and did it but the fact that he did it it it it allows me to even dream bigger like oh he he can make 100 million I want to make 200 million like I Can Dream bigger now because of what he’s done and I you know I uh I foresee that in my future for sure um Sean how would you assess yourself as a fighter back in 2020 when you first faced Cheeto versus who you are now like where do you see specific growth in your own game um I was very confident going into that fight I you know I had a really good training camp for that fight and uh I believed it was a good match up for me and uh since that fight I’ve been on a I think I’ve knocked out you know Thomas Alida montinho Piva Pedro Peter aljo um so i’ I’ve gained a lot of confidence had a lot of fights and I’ve improved a lot since that last fight you have connected with so many people my yes CH you have connected with so many chins but you’ve connected with fans around the world I mean my in my own family as you well know because I told you about it my nephew can’t believe that I get to talk to you I am the coolest Aunt because of it but you in Austin I mean they were chaning your name from the press conference to the weighin to the fight everywhere you go people know sugar Shan I watched you on a Morning Show and they were very familiar with you and they’re you know they’re not necessarily the typical UFC fans what do you attribute that to I I I like to think it’s you know comes down to the performances the the the amount of Knockouts the highlight reels that I’ve put on you know you you go knock someone out in Crazy fashion you know that’s on Instagram that gets circulating through the algorithm and then the random people start seeing it and I’ve done that a lot you know so I think I attribute that to that um I’d like to think I’m funny and good-looking too it helps but I attribute uh most of it to The Knockouts just the performances and obviously the UFC’s platform you’ve always been yourself ever since we started doing interviews together you’ve always been you I mean how how do you claim that so confidently because this is a a sport where you’re really out there for all to see you know good and bad but also behind the scenes there there’s just so much and you have so much on your shoulders how have you always just remained you um probably just the people around me I feel like maybe uh I feel like it’s easier to be yourself than to try to pretend to be something all the time so I I don’t know I feel like probably just the people I’m around keep me grounded keep me humble and uh yeah I don’t know probably that yeah and you have great people around you who have also inspired the businessman that you are as well how would you describe yourself in the world of business and what really does it look like what what light your fire in that world I was always motivated by money since uh since I was a little kid I remember you know as 16 17 years old you get you know $5 a ticket you sell and I was selling merch so I was you know at 16 17 years old I was hustling trying to sell tickets trying to sell you know the shittiest merch ever um and I think that’s where it kind of started from you know I’d go out there and I could make a couple thousand bucks as an amateur fighting and that was you know I was making more than beginning pros and I think a lot of that was you know in Montana they had a lot of support for me and we fought a lot so I think that was it but yeah I’ve always been motivated by money interested in money and you know having money gives you freedom and I’ve always wanted freedom and you know it’s just put those together and that’s what I’ve just con I don’t know why I’ve I think it’s probably because when I was little my mom was very you know stingy she wanted to make but we she had four kids and she wanted to make sure we all had everything we needed so it’s always everything was about money we go out about money and uh I think that was embedded in me when I was a little dude and I was like I never want to have to be like that and it wasn’t in a bad way I just was uh yeah motivated by money what’s it feel like to be able to give your daughter literally anything oh my little princess it’s dangerous you got to be careful I don’t want her being too uh too princessy so it is tricky you know she wants a popsicle in the morning you got to tell her no and Elena it’s 8:00 a.m. you can’t have a watermelon popsicle So It’s Tricky but uh she definitely we go to the store and she grabs something it’s like all right I guess I guess she gets that today but yeah no it’s it’s uh trying to find a balance I don’t want her to be too spoiled um but yeah she’s definitely spoiled is there a dream business Endeavor for you I would like to I mean I have a lot of brand deals right now that I’m you know a part of I would like to have my own brand my own you know I don’t want to force anything though so so we we’ve definitely been thinking about what what the sugar show what the sugar brand could uh come up with and be in my own brand and and uh do stuff like that we don’t really have anything specific right now but we have a bunch of ideas and I have good people around me Emron who’s you know the CEO of sbal the owner of sbal he’s Lifesaver for me business genius so you know we’re bouncing ideas off each other all the time constantly having phone calls I love talking to all my brand Partnerships too like on the phone with them and and I’m learning a lot right now so you know I’d like to do some big things just don’t want to force anything yeah you’ve always seemed to be really good at forging those relationships with Brands as well even when uh maybe you were just coming up in the game and there were bigger Stars you were seeming to have these bigger Partnerships um so certainly you’re you’re learning through this experience um as well you mentioned Connor though um earlier and he is supposed to return hopefully in the next couple of months um I know that in terms of what he’s accomplished has been inspirational to you but are you looking forward to watching him fight again hell yeah I more excited than anyone watching a Connor fight I love watching a Connor fight love watching the the I’ve watched every interview Connor’s done same with cha watched every interview that Cha’s ever done I’ve got a lot of inspiration from him too uh but yeah Connor you know the fight weeks the embedded the countdowns the the interviews with Megan you know I I’m a huge fan of Connor and I would be you know very excited to watch him come back and compat what are your what are your expectations for him in the return you know he’s looking good you know he’s posting little videos here and there train looks like he’s grappling a lot uh you know so’s he’s very skilled um but I think what sets people apart is is obviously the M mindset you know I think if you can get get back on that and and it is you know you’re not going to be as good as you were if you were you know training and grinding for years and then you you know you’re living on a yacht and doing these things like you just aren’t going to be the same guy so I think and I yeah it’s it’s just about what you do in for those three months if he’s three months dial then focused laser focused on the task at hand you know I think he’ll show up and put on a performance all right this is my final question I swear I believe that there’s only been like one custom pair of shorts in the organization before Bryce Mitchell camo can we see pink shorts as the champion I mean I feel like you get to call some shots now yeah I I would think so too um I I was just talking to Nikki about that and she said hey you might have to ask Dana so I might have to have a conversation with Dana to see if that uh if that could happen but pink shorts in uh in Miami maybe a little blue maybe a little gold I don’t know we’ll see I think there’s a good shot good chance of that it only feels right it does it really does well I’m in full support not that anyone cares about what I say or what my vote is but full support I will let Dana know that you’re in support of it could help