What does Sean O'Malley's tattoo mean?

Last Modified May 22, 2025 10:55 GMT
UFC 306 at Riyadh Season Noche UFC: O'Malley v Dvalishvili
UFC 306 at Riyadh Season Noche UFC: O'Malley v Dvalishvili

Sean O'Malley, widely known by his nickname "Suga," is a UFC fighter in the bantamweight division, where the weight limit is 135 pounds. Born on October 24, 1994, in Helena, Montana, O'Malley began his professional career in MMA in 2015. With a flashy and flamboyant fighting style, he quickly racked up a reputation for knockout wins in regional promotions that earned him a shot on Dana White's Contender Series in 2017, after which he was signed to the UFC.

O'Malley first entered the UFC octagon in March of 2018, then went on a gradual rise up the division with notable wins over José Alberto Quiñónez, Eddie Wineland, and Thomas Almeida. A year later, O'Malley realized superstardom when he defeated Aljamain Sterling via TKO at UFC 292 to become the UFC Bantamweight Champion in 2023. In March 2024, O'Malley defended his title in a rematch against Marlon Vera, avenging his only career loss. With an 18-2-0 (1NC) record as of May 2025, O'Malley's next fight is scheduled against Georgian mixed martial artist and the bantamweight champion, Merab Dvalishvili, at UFC 316 on June 7, 2025.

Sean O’Malley Tattoos

Sean O’Malley has a lot of tattoos spread throughout his body. Let’s take a deeper look at some of his iconic tattoos.

Forehead Tattoos

O’Malley has the characters ‘SUGA’ and ‘CHAMP MMXXIII’, along with a crown symbol tattooed on his forehead.

[Image via @sugasean on Instagram]

Akiata Tattoo

[Image via @sugasean on Instagram]

O’Malley has a large tattoo of the word ‘Akiata’ etched across his left obliques.

Bicep Tattoo

[Image via @sugasean on Instagram]

Sean O'Malley has "Only God Can Judge Me" tattooed across his biceps. His left bicep also features a scribbled line, partially covering the quote.

‘Float like a Butterfly Sting Like a Bee’ Tattoo

[Image via @sugasean on Instagram]

Sean O’Malley has the famous quote by Muhammad Ali ‘Float like a Butterfly Sting Like a Bee’, tattooed on his right obliques.

Owl Tattoo

[Image via @sugasean on Instagram]

O'Malley has an intricately designed owl with spread wings tattooed in the center of his chest, vibrant in color.

Name and Ribbon Tattoo

[Image via @sugasean on Instagram]

On the left side of his upper back, Sean has a banner tattoo wrapped around two green shapes, which reads "O'Malley." Additionally, the backside of his right arm is adorned with a tattoo of a ribbon looped around two boxing gloves.

Design Tattoo

[Image via @sugasean on Instagram]

Sean O'Malley has a collection of random designs inked on the inner side of his left forearm. These include images of a hat, glasses, a horseshoe, and a sun emitting rainbow-colored light. The tattoo extends to the upper side of his forearm, blending with the design on his upper arm.

Family Tattoo

[Image via @sugasean on Instagram]

On the inner side of his right forearm, O'Malley has the word "FAMILY" tattooed.

Flower Tattoo

[Image via @sugasean on Instagram]

The outer side of Sean O'Malley's right forearm features a flower tattoo, with an image of a hand holding a snake that coils around the wrist and reaches toward the flower.

Crest Tattoo

[Image via @sugasean on Instagram]

On the left side of his upper back, Sean sports a tattoo of the O'Malley family Coat of Arms. The crest contains a wild boar at its center.

Free Tattoo

[Image via @sugasean on Instagram]

The letters spelling out the word "FREE" are tattooed across the fingers of Sean O'Malley's right hand.

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FAQs on Sean O'Malley's tattoo meaning

A. Though the exact number is uncertain, Sean O'Malley has more than ten visible tattoos spread across his body.

A. The exact date when Sean O'Malley got his first tattoo is unknown.

A. O’Malley defeated Aljamain Sterling at UFC 292 to become the new bantamweight champion.

A. Sean O'Malley is from from Helena, Montana, United States.

A. Sean O'Malley is nicknamed Suga.

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