UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley has launched footage of the closing moments of a 2016 sparring session with flyweight champ Alexandre Pantoja.
Earlier this week, O’Malley dropped a clip of their previous sparring session exhibiting him take Pantoja down, but stated he wouldn’t launch the end as a result of “that’s simply imply,” though he stated that he completed Pantoja with a “liver kick” within the first spherical. Nevertheless, “Sugar” should have modified his tune as a result of on Friday morning, O’Malley did launch the ending of their spar on social media, which confirmed the 135-pound champ touchdown a tough physique kick, after which moments later, Pantoja calling an finish to it.
Take a look at the video beneath.
Pantoja introduced up the sparring session throughout UFC 301 struggle week previous to his profitable title protection towards Steve Erceg. The present UFC flyweight king additionally described his model of what occurred throughout an October 2023 look on The MMA Hour.
“I educated with O’Malley 5, six years in the past, and it by no means handed by way of my head that this man would go to the UFC, take the belt and I take the belt too,” Pantoja stated. “Very loopy. That’s why I known as him to struggle, simply because that. He began to speak about my coaching with him two years in the past, he began to speak about that, however let’s return to 5, six years in the past after I go to the [MMA] Lab, earlier than I arrive with [Henry] Cejudo, I made a 60-hour journey airplane flight. I by no means stepped within the Lab earlier than, and I’m going to the Lab, do sparring with all the fellows, and also you want balls to do all that.
“O’Malley involves me, ‘Hey, can I file this coaching?’ [I said], ‘After all. Simply while you’re completed, ship me the video, as a result of I can study one thing, too.’ And he by no means handed the video to me. I known as Cejudo [and said], ‘Hey, say to your buddy to present me the video.’ And [Henry] Cejudo stated, ‘Neglect it. He’s by no means going to ship that video to you.’
“You understand why not. In the event you’re shedding, you don’t present the video.”
Clearly, rather a lot has modified for each fighters since 2016, with each holding world titles on the similar time. O’Malley is predicted to defend his title later this 12 months towards Merab Dvalishvili, whereas Pantoja is concentrating on a return on the finish of the 12 months.
