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Marlon Vera was defeated by Sean O'Malley in dominant fashion when the pair met in the main event of UFC 299 on Mar. 9.
Since 'Chito' defeated O'Malley at UFC 252 in 2020, the pair have exchanged plenty of trash-talk online and in person. 'Sugar' dismissed the loss as a fluke, while Vera was adamant that he was the better fighter. Their much-anticipated rematch was expected to answer any questions about who the superior combat athlete was.
There was no doubt that the bad blood between the pair was genuine, and it seems that their rematch did little to cool off the animosity of their rivalry.
Tim Welch, O'Malley's longtime coach, was interviewed by James Lynch following UFC 299, where he shared details of a conversation held with 'Chito' in the octagon after the bout.
He said this:
"After the fight we always try to be as respectful as possible. I tried to shake 'Chito's' hand and just tell him, 'God, you are a warrior. Keep your head up. Keep going.' And he just shook my hand and said, 'We'll never be friends.' I think he's just bitter. You see Sean, the way he dresses, the way he acts, the way all this happens. And then you get your a** whooped by him, it's got to sting really deep."
Watch Tim Welch detail talking to Marlon Vera below from 4:45:
Marlon Vera and Sean O'Malley go back and forth online following their rematch
Sean O'Malley retained his bantamweight title in resounding fashion with arguably his most dominant performance to date, a unanimous decision win over Marlon Vera in their much-anticipated rematch.
The bout saw 'Sugar' accrue the second-biggest striking differential in the division's history, narrowly falling short of his own record set against Kris Moutinho at UFC 264.
The matchmaking has been criticized in the wake of the clash, with perennial contender Cory Sandhagen labeling Vera as a "punching bag."
In a surprising turn of events, 'Chito' recently took to X to accuse the bantamweight champion of cheating during their fight by "greasing" or putting gel in his hair to make him more slippery.
His jibe drew a response from 'Sugar', as the pair went back and forth, writing this:
"Who braid your hair @SugaSeanMMA you where grease to the bone I wonder how much gel they use?
O'Malley responded with:
"Send pic of your face"
See O'Malley's exchange with Marlon Vera below:
