UFC fighter Sean O’Malley dominated his fight against Chito Vera at UFC 299, delivering a knee strike that he believes may have broken something in Vera’s face, and while he feels some guilt over the damage inflicted, he maintains that it’s part of the sport.
Sean O’Malley was gunning for a knockout at UFC 299. However, he can’t be too upset after delivering a masterclass for five rounds, throwing everything but the kitchen sink at Chito Vera.
Vera’s resilience left O’Malley stunned. The punishment Vera endured included one of the most brutal knee strikes in UFC history.
With just over a minute left in the second round, O’Malley landed a knee. The timing was impeccable, with Vera ducking his head down at the same moment. The impact was akin to Aaron Judge blasting a baseball out of Yankee Stadium.
Replays confirmed that O’Malley’s knee hit its mark. Yet, Vera took the blow and kept pressing on. O’Malley confesses that the echo of his knee smacking into Vera’s face made him feel a bit queasy.
“I wonder if I broke something in his face with that knee,” O’Malley mused on The MMA Hour. “It was the loudest crack I’ve ever heard when hitting someone. It was a nauseating feeling. It was vile. I’d love to see a photo of his face now.”
Vera posted a statement on social media post-fight. However, he hasn’t shared any images showing the aftermath of his Saturday night brawl with O’Malley. Before leaving the cage, Vera spoke to UFC commentator Joe Rogan, his face already swelling and sporting multiple cuts and bruises from O’Malley’s onslaught.
Hearing his knee strike crunch against Vera’s skull was painful for O’Malley. But he knows it’s part of the job. It’s what they sign up for when they step into the UFC ring.
“Before the fight, I was just itching to get my hands on him, to kick his butt,” O’Malley admitted. “It’s a strange thing. Then you hear someone like Dustin Poirier talking about how low he felt after his fight with Justin Gaethje. I’m sure Chito’s going through some stuff right now; I doubt he’d disagree. I bet he’s not having a great time.
“So, part of me feels bad for him. I caused that, but it’s the fight game.”
Despite the narrative that surrounded the fight – O’Malley seeking redemption for his only loss – the reigning UFC bantamweight champion said that never really motivated him for the rematch.
“No one sees that as a win [for ‘Chito’],” O’Malley stated. “They officially overturned it, The ‘Suga’ State Athletic Commission, legally overturned it. If anyone sees that as a win, they’re delusional.
“I’ve never lost and felt like I lost where it was depressing. That first fight I fought Chito, and that happened the way it happened, it was a fluke in my mind. I knew I was better than him. I knew it. I just knew someday I’d prove it. So that fight never bothered me. I had to go out there and prove it. 50-44 at one point from one of the judges.”
O’Malley certainly backed up his belief with a decisive win over Vera. But even with that single blemish on his record now effectively erased, he still feels there’s more work to do to earn respect from his peers.
He faced criticism after winning the title with a second-round knockout. Former champion Aljamain Sterling made an incredibly quick return to face him last August.
Now, O’Malley expects to hear all about how Vera didn’t deserve the title shot in the first place. He needs to beat a more legitimate contender to solidify himself as champion. In a strange way, he might actually agree with that assessment.
“I think we can all agree Chito got gifted that title shot,” O’Malley said. “I asked for it. I believe I deserved to be able to ask for it after performing and doing what I did against Aljo. So I asked for the Chito fight, I got the Chito fight, but he got gifted that.
“I think I’ve still got to go out there and prove to the haters and the doubters, that I can beat someone like Merab [Dvalishvili] or Ilia [Topuria] or Cory [Sandhagen], or whoever’s next.”