In a post-UFC 288 main-event clash between Aljamain Sterling and Henry Cejudo on Saturday night, Sean O’Malley entered the octagon. Sterling outpointed ‘Triple C’ in the ground exchanges early on, while Cejudo did not appear to have lost any of his edge due to the long layoff. As the fight progressed, the former Olympic gold medallist began defending takedowns better, even landing a few of his own. ‘Funk Master’ eventually edged out a controversial split decision in an encounter that could have easily gone either way.
Sean O’Malley, who was present cage side, joined Sterling’s post-fight interview, leading to a heated exchange inside the cage. ‘Suga’ repeated over and over: “You better look better than that.” He added: “You looked like s***. You better be able to cut weight real soon.” Sterling responded: “So why’d you run?. Why’d you turn down the title shot? That’s what I thought. Because I’ll drag your ass up and down this octagon. … Get this piece of s*** out of my cage.”
Meanwhile, Sterling’s close ally and fellow bantamweight contender Merab Dvalishvili light-heartedly stole O’Malley’s jacket and put it on.
The UFC 288 card, which went down at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, wasn’t the biggest of cards to begin with. Losing two prelims bouts less than 48 hours before fight night did not add to the popularity of the card. The rather lukewarm decision fights in the main and co-main events seemingly left UFC fans wanting. According to some, the day was saved by the appearance of the promotion’s new cash-cow, Sean O’Malley. Others were just entertained by Merab Dvalishvili stealing ‘Sugar’s’ jacket.
Social media users had mixed reactions to the altercation. Some were entertained, while others found it hard to watch. Some even compared the incident to WWE. One user wrote, “Dana knew this card sucked, so he told Suga hop in and save the day, wise move,” while another said, “Thank god Suga was there, this card really lacked many viral moments.”
The heated exchange between Sean O’Malley and Aljamain Sterling has been the talk of the town since the event. Sterling’s verbal jabs at O’Malley appeared to have caught the latter off guard, as he was unable to come up with a response. O’Malley has been known for his trash-talking abilities, but Sterling’s quick wit seemed to have caught him off guard.
The altercation has left fans wondering if there will be a future fight between the two. It’s hard to say at this point, but one thing is for sure – the exchange has added fuel to the fire in the bantamweight division.
In conclusion, the UFC 288 main-event clash between Aljamain Sterling and Henry Cejudo was a closely contested affair. The appearance of Sean O’Malley and the ensuing altercation with Sterling added some much-needed excitement to an otherwise lackluster card. The exchange has left fans wondering if there will be a future fight between the two. Only time will tell.
