Former UFC bantamweight champ Sean O’Malley enters UFC 324 in a make-or-break situation. He has headlined two of the UFC’s biggest live gate events, which placed him firmly among the top 10 draws. But that reputation took a serious hit over his last two outings.

O’Malley’s flashy style, knockout power, and magnetic personality make him one of the UFC’s most marketable stars. This Saturday at UFC 324, he returns to the Octagon to face Song Yadong, intending to make a fast push toward title contention as the co-headliner. Before he steps back into the Octagon, let’s revisit O’Malley’s journey so far, and why he could be in dire straits if things do not go his way on Saturday night.

How many losses does Sean O’Malley have?

Unlike some fighters who get a straight shot to the UFC, Sean O’Malley had to prove himself on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2017 while riding an undefeated 8-0 streak. Over more than a decade in professional MMA, O’Malley has lost just three of his 21 fights. Still, fans and critics often compare his knockout power and star appeal to Conor McGregor’s.

While he hasn’t reached McGregor’s level, the Arizona native remains one of the UFC’s biggest draws in the American market. Notably, all three ofSean O’Malley’s MMA losses came in the UFC. He also lost once in grappling, but in professional MMA, that carries less weight. Now, let’s break down the fighters who have defeated O’Malley.

Who was the first fighter to defeat Sean O’Malley?

In mid-2020, Sean O’Malley entered his fifth UFC fight without expecting any setbacks. However, fate had other plans for his first co-headliner bout against veteran Marlon “Chito” Vera. The fight began with O’Malley striking Vera’s low calf, but Vera responded quickly with the same strike, which forced the American star’s right foot to go limp.

O’Malley lost his balance and fell to the ground. Immediately, Vera seized the opening and unleashed a heavy barrage of elbows while ‘Suga’ remained compromised. That’s how Marlon Vera handed Sean O’Malley the first loss of his career.

Even after the defeat, Sean O’Malley stayed confident. Instead of backing down, he targeted his critics with his usual flair.

“Did he win? Yes,” Sean O’Malley said. “Am I undefeated? Yes. Mentally, I’m undefeated. I felt superior in there until my foot gave out. I probably sound stupid. That’s OK, because look at me… You’re watching this video. And guess what, I get paid to make videos. So you guys commenting, hating, you’re getting me paid, so thank you.”

With that mindset, Sean O’Malley bounced back, crossing out top names like Petr Yan and Aljamain Sterling, capturing the title, and riding a six-fight win streak. However, he hit the same setback in his first title defense.

Who defeated Sean O’Malley in his title fight?

After avenging his loss to Marlon Vera at UFC 299 and defending his title for the first time, Sean O’Malley entered the historic UFC 306 as the favorite against Merab Dvalishvili in his second title defense. However, the fight did not go as fans expected. Many predicted a ‘Suga’ victory, but by the fifth round, Dvalishvili had taken full control.

Dvalishvili dominated with relentless wrestling, kept Sean O’Malley in close quarters, and neutralized his long-range striking. Despite ‘Suga’ throwing his signature punches, he never caught Dvalishvili, who rag-dolled him over five rounds to secure the win and hand O’Malley the second loss of his career. Following the fight, UFC president Dana White criticized O’Malley for his lackluster performance.

Even though UFC 306 set a historic live gate record for the promotion, fans often remember the event for Sean O’Malley’s worst performance, for which he later apologized. O’Malley revealed that he had entered the fight while suffering from a torn hip labrum.

Despite this, Sean O’Malley accepted a rematch against Merab Dvalishvili. Months after surgery and recovery, the American star returned at UFC 316, left his bad habits behind, and made significant sacrifices to improve. However, the fight once again went against him.

In the third round, Dvalishvili submitted O’Malley with an unorthodox guillotine choke. The bout showed that Dvalishvili’s wrestling, with its nonstop pressure and constant takedowns, can limit a fighter of O’Malley’s profile.

Now, putting his past struggles behind him and coming off consecutive losses, O’Malley is ready to get back in the win column against Song Yadong at UFC 324. Can he stage a comeback? Drop your prediction below.

The post Sean O’Malley Losses: Who Has Defeated the UFC Bantamweight Star in His MMA Career? appeared first on EssentiallySports.