"People look good against 'Chito' early" - Sean O'Malley predicts outcome of Marlon Vera vs. Cory Sandhagen 

With Marlon Vera vs. Cory Sandhagen being made official, Sean O'Malley has given his prediction on how he expects the fight to play out between the two top bantamweights.

The Ecuadorian and 'The Sandman' are within touching distance of a title shot. While, on paper, a strong display should be enough to earn them a chance at UFC gold, that may not be the case. With Henry Cejudo's return, the 135-pound weight class is in a confusing state that could take some time to unravel, leaving contenders in limbo.

During episode 90 of his popular 'Bromalley Show' on YouTube, Sean O'Malley revealed his excitement for the upcoming clash between Vera and Sandhagen. He detailed how the UFC Apex could benefit the South American:

"I think Cory's gonna bounce around, be fast. People look good against 'Chito' early, I feel like everyone kind of wins those initial rounds. F***ing Frankie Edgar won 14 minutes of the fight and then got head-kicked by that goddamn toe of 'Chito's'... I don't know. Five rounds [and] small cage I would say benefits 'Chito', if it was [a] big cage [and] three rounds, I would probably pick Cory... I'm excited for that fight, it's gonna be a sweet fight."

According to 'Sugar', the small cage will likely be an advantage for Marlon Vera, who, despite often starting slow in his bouts, seemingly always manages to find a killer shot and put opponents down. That is no doubt much easier in a tighter octagon.

Check out what Sean O'Malley had to say about the upcoming bantamweight clash in the video below:

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Who is Sean O'Malley's ideal future opponent at 135 pounds?

Sean O'Malley has emerged as the biggest star in the bantamweight division and is on the verge of getting his first taste of UFC gold. The question now, is who does the fan favorite ideally want to fight for the title?

In a dream scenario for the 28-year-old, he will overwhelm either Aljamain Sterling or Henry Cejudo to claim the 135-pound throne. Then, for his first defense, he wants to welcome Marlon Vera into the cage for the long-awaited rematch:

"I didn't think 'Chito' was gonna get as good as he did, but he's gotten good, he's gotten really good... I hope he beats Cory, Aljo beats Henry, Aljo moves up to 45 [featherweight], [then] me vs. 'Chito' [in] July, massive fight, for the belt."