Sean O Malley was in awe and sincerity as he responded to Ilia Topuria knocking out Charles Oliveira in the first round of UFC 317. The former Ultimate Fighting Championship bantamweight champion went to his YouTube channel to express his uncut feelings after watching Topuria be crowned as the new lightweight champion. Sean O’ malley was honest in his answer as he appreciated the level of performance of Topuria at the same level as the elite, but he was thankful that the superfight they previously talked about did not take place.
Sean O’Malley praises Ilia Topuria’s championship-calibre performance
Sean O’ Malley was seen in shock following the dominance of Ilia Topuria in the main event of UFC 317. The 30-year-old combatant was truly astonished that Topuria managed to stop another legendary fighter in the style of a highlight. Malley went as far as complimenting Topuria on his resume, citing his knockout wins over previous featherweight champions Alexander Volkanovski, Max Holloway, and now Charles Oliveira, being on that exclusive list.In his live reaction, Malley said that Topuria is up there with Jon Jones, which is an indication of his superstar potential as far as the sport is concerned. The former bantamweight champion recognised the fact that Topuria is quickly climbing the ladder between weight divisions, and he is a true superstar in the Ultimate Fighting Championship environment. Topuria became one of the few fighters who have won titles in two divisions at the same time, which is what O Malley assesses.Sugar Sean O’Malley also hinted that an Ilia Topuria vs Islam Makhachev fight would be the best thing to ever happen to the lightweight division, but since Makhachev has had plans to make his debut at welterweight against Jack Della Maddalena, this may not be possible in the immediate future.
Former champion expresses gratitude for avoiding superfight disaster
The most telling words, however, were spoken by Sean O Malley, who last year called out Ilia Topuria after defeating Marlon Vera at UFC 299 in March 2024. Helena, Montana native had already issued a challenge to the then-featherweight champion Topuria to a cross-divisional superfight, stating his desire to travel to Spain to fight him.Nevertheless, having seen the merciless finishing skills of Topuria in his fight against Charles Oliveira, Malley openly stated that he is happy that the fight did not take place. Sean O’ Malley replied with an emphatic, “Thank God he didn’t take my callout,” as he might have lost his championship hopes when confronting Topuria. The previous champion made a joke that Topuria ran and hid behind 155, then added that he was glad that the Ultimate Fighting Championship did not make the fight.This blunt realism is the harsh truth of mixed martial arts, where a single crushing defeat can completely change the career path of the fighter. The fact that his present condition shows that he has lost his bantamweight title to Merab Dvalishvili and lost the rematch also shows how fast fortunes can turn in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.The ex-champion was thrilled to approve of a possible fight between Ilia Topuria and Paddy Pimblett, after their scorched fight in the octagon at UFC 317. Fans should expect these hot matchups in future Ultimate Fighting Championship events as the lightweight division keeps changing.Also Read: Why Dana White dares Mark Zuckerberg to enter brutal UFC tournamentSean O’Malley’s refreshingly honest reaction to Ilia Topuria’s performance demonstrates the respect elite fighters have for true championship-calibre talent, even when acknowledging their limitations against such devastating competition.
