Bantamweight champion and all-time great Aljamain Sterling tried to extend his bantamweight record nine-fight winning streak against budding star ‘Sugar’ Sean O’Malley in the main event of UFC 292 in Boston.
Sterling claimed that this fight, a stark striker vs grappler match-up, would be his last in the division as he would move up to 145-lbs after this fight to make room for his teammate, close friend, and the division’s number one contender Merab Dvalishvili to fight for the title. It was up to Sean to make Merab’s title shot about revenge and bad blood due to the jacket incident rather than about fighting for a recently vacated belt.
The fight started with Aljo pressing forward behind kicks. O’Malley used his footwork to stay evasive for the first minute but then got on the front foot himself and opened up more with strikes. Sterling’s leg kicks were his most effective strike early on against the skinny legs of Sean. The feints of O’Malley were effective in that they drew big reactions out of Aljamain. With just thirty seconds left Aljo shot in for a single leg. Although he was not able to get it he pressed O’Malley to the fence and landed short clinch strikes until the round ended.
Round two started with Aljo pressing forward and forcing a slip out of O’Malley. Sterling took advantage by going for a takedown but Sean defended expertly. Suddenly Sean O’Malley landed a clean right hand while sliding back while Aljo rushed forward which dropped the champion. O’Malley rained down hammerfists and almost put Aljamain out but Sterling twisted and turned to try to escape while on his back. However Sean did not let up and when Aljo turned to his stomach the referee, Mark Goddard, stopped the fight.
The Suga Show did what he said he would all along and became the UFC bantamweight champion, knocking out one of the greatest of all time in Aljamain Sterling. If the Yan fight was a star-making performance then this was truly a superstar-making one.
Official Result: Sean O’Malley def. Aljamain Sterling by TKO (straight right to ground strikes) Round 2, 0:51
