Sean O’Malley successfully defended his UFC bantamweight title against Marlon Vera at UFC 299, with his coach Tim Welch dismissing Vera’s claims of foul play and suggesting a third bout between the two is unlikely due to the decisive nature of O’Malley’s victory.
Sean O’Malley’s head coach, Tim Welch, wasn’t taken aback by Marlon Vera’s performance at UFC 299. “He’s as slow as I remembered,” Welch commented on The MMA Hour. He knew Chito (Vera) would need a stroke of luck.
Fights are unpredictable, he mused. A wrong kick could break a foot, a misplaced punch could shatter a hand. Welch was never overconfident about this fight. Especially after that first Chito fight in 2020. But the fight went as he expected. He doubted Chito could last five rounds. But he did. Kudos to him, Welch admitted.
O’Malley defended his UFC bantamweight title successfully at UFC 299. It was a one-sided trouncing of Vera. He landed the eighth-most significant strikes in a UFC bout (230). This secured his long-awaited revenge win over Vera via unanimous decision. Vera had previously defeated O’Malley at UFC 252. That remains O’Malley’s only professional MMA loss.
O’Malley’s performance was clinical. His significant strike differential of 141 (230-89) was the second-best bantamweight mark of all time. It was also the fourth-largest striking differential in a UFC title fight. Vera’s only shining moment was a fifth-round body shot. This was after O’Malley threw caution to the wind in the final seconds. Vera claimed on The MMA Hour that if the fight had no time limits, “the O’Malley family would have a funeral right now.”
Welch found this claim amusing. “He was hitting [Vera] with clean shots over and over,” he said. The claim that Chito would’ve won in a no-time-limit fight was ridiculous, according to Welch. He argued that Chito’s eyes would be swollen shut and he’d be the one getting killed.
O’Malley wanted a finish. He chose to sit in the pocket. He knew how much time was left, so he sat there for a reason. If there was more time left, that body shot would’ve never landed. Welch wasn’t really concerned though. He knew O’Malley could tough it out.
Vera accused O’Malley of foul play in the same interview. He claimed O’Malley’s braided hair was greased “to the bone.” Grabbing the champ was like grabbing a slippery fish, Vera said. He hinted that the greasiness played a role in his loss. O’Malley responded with expletives. Welch was surprised but less angry.
“I don’t think [O’Malley is] truly upset,” Welch said. He thought O’Malley was just a bit chippy from snacking the night before. Welch believes in respect after a fight. The greasing accusation was weird, he said. Even the lady who braided O’Malley’s hair commented. She used the normal amount of gel, she said. She didn’t understand the fuss.
A trilogy fight with Vera isn’t likely, Welch said. O’Malley’s latest victory was so thorough, it makes a third bout a tough sell. “Sean is elite. Chito’s got an elite mind, but he’s just not that fast or strong. He doesn’t threaten ‘Sugar.’” Welch said.
Chito seems mentally strong. But such performances can demoralize people and change their careers. Welch hopes this doesn’t happen to him. The top five, top 10 at bantamweight now is so stacked. Welch doesn’t see Chito working himself back up to a title shot.