Sean O’Malley will remain with the UFC for the foreseeable future.
The bantamweight contender, who got his start on Dana White’s Contender Series, has inked a new eight-fight contract extension with the UFC.
UFC president Dana White announced the news on Saturday with O’Malley also confirming the deal via his podcast, which he negotiated himself after previously stating that he was now acting as his own manager.
“I got a very gracious contract that I’m proud of,” O’Malley said. “I got a number that I’m very happy with. I truly don’t think any manager that I had could have went in there and got me what I got. That also helps with the relationship built with the UFC. I feel like I have earned this contract. I feel like I have earned the amount that I’m getting paid.”
Locking down O’Malley to a long-term deal makes a lot of sense for the UFC, especially as the 28-year-old fighter nears title contention following his win over ex-bantamweight champion Petr Yan this past October.
O’Malley has quickly become one of the UFC’s most marketable stars while steadily rising up the ranks at 135 pounds with an 8-1 record with one no-contest through 10 fights with the organization. He’s currently riding a five-fight unbeaten streak with his only loss in the UFC coming via TKO to Marlon “Chito” Vera back in 2020.
All signs currently point towards O’Malley receiving a title shot in his next fight, although that all depends on when reigning UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling returns to action. As of now, Sterling is targeting a May fight against Henry Cejudo, which means O’Malley might be sitting for at least the first half of 2023 while waiting for a chance of his own to become champion.
Regardless, O’Malley is locked down with a new UFC deal for the future as he awaits his next assignment.