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'Sugar' Sean O'Malley suffered the first defeat of his MMA career in the co-main event of UFC 252 as Marlon 'Chito' Vera finished him via TKO. Since Sean O'Malley is a highly-touted prospect with highlight-reel knockouts, there was a lot of hype behind him.
Unfortunately for Sean O'Malley, he didn't take the defeat too well and was criticized for his comments after the fight, stating that in a few years, he's going to be a World Champion while Marlon Vera will be a 'journeyman'. Among his critics was Darren Till, who told him to take his loss better and not insult the opponent that just defeated him.
On The Suga Show, Sean O'Malley doubled-down on his denial over his defeat, stating:
“Did he win? Yes. Am I undefeated? Yes. Mentally, I’m 12-0. I didn’t lose sh*t. I was dominating that fight. I felt superior in there until my foot gave out. I know you guys — I probably sound stupid, but that’s ok, cause look at me, I’m a little not that smart,” O’Malley said.
Is Sean O'Malley taking the right approach to his defeat?
Sean O'Malley had a lot of hype behind him ahead of UFC 252. However, such a defeat can serve to benefit him more in the long run. It's not like boxing where there's so much emphasis put on a singular undefeated streak.
Instead, a healthier approach can help him return better and improve his career trajectory greatly. It's very rare in the UFC to see Champions stay undefeated before winning a title.
In Sean O'Malley's case, perhaps less denial of his defeat or the nature of it would serve to help him in the long run. In the world of MMA, the perception is that you're only good as your last fight. We can only hope that Sean O'Malley comes back better than ever to fulfil his potential.
