Athletes
Big Month For Bantamweights Reaches Peak At UFC 292
The 135-Pound Division Is Seeing Plenty Of Action In August, Highlighted By The Title Fight Between Aljamain Sterling And Sean O’Malley
Although a handful of divisions are in the mix as far as the deepest or most interesting, the men’s bantamweight weight class stands out among the crowd. From the stylistic matchups to the eccentric personalities and all the talent wading outside the top-15, the 135-pounders seem to always deliver high-level fights. There’s a reason why the belt has been so difficult to defend and why Aljamain Sterling’s record of three defenses puts him among one of the best to ever compete at the weight.
To that end, August represents a big month of movement for the division’s elite.
Naturally, the headliner is the title fight between Sterling and Sean O’Malley at UFC 292. Sterling ousted former two-division champ Henry Cejudo at UFC 288 in May, cementing himself as one of the greatest bantamweights to compete in the Octagon. While some wondered whether Cejudo’s comeback was a one-off or a full return to competition, “Triple C” did what he always does after the fight and chirped at several other fighters online. He was originally slated to fight Marlon “Chito” Vera in Boston, but a shoulder injury forced him out of the matchup.
UFC Breakdown | UFC 292: Sterling vs O'Malley
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UFC Breakdown | UFC 292: Sterling vs O'Malley
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Stepping in for Cejudo is all-action veteran Pedro Munhoz. A top-10 mainstay of the last few years, Munhoz has a chance to finally launch himself into the title picture should he get past the fan-favorite Vera. The Brazilian could see this as a last chance run at 36 years old, but Vera is no easy task. “Chito” fell short in his main event opportunity against Cory Sandhagen in March, and he’s itching to make up for his flat performance that night in San Antonio.
Speaking of Sandhagen, he is fresh off a five-round shutout over Rob Font. Font, to his credit, stepped in on short notice for the headlining bout in Nashville after Song Yadong pulled out of their matchup scheduled for UFC 292, but Sandhagen had his way with the Massachusetts representative.
Fighters On The Rise | UFC 292: Sterling vs O'Malley
Unfortunately for Sandhagen, some were left a little wanting from his grappling-heavy approach, but the 31-year-old revealed after the fight a triceps injury suffered early in the first round. The fact that he could manhandle a top-10 veteran like Font utilizing a skillset he’s less known for is still a feather in his cap. How long he is out due to the torn tricep, however, is something to note, even if he is Octagonside in Boston.
Cory Sandhagen Octagon Interview | UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs Font
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Cory Sandhagen Octagon Interview | UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs Font
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The ramifications shift heavily depending on who wins in Boston. Should Sterling keep his belt, he maintains he’ll move up to featherweight to challenge for a second belt and leave the cuts to 135 pounds behind him. That would mean a vacant title fight between any of the top contenders, including O’Malley, Sandhagen and Sterling’s training partner, friend and mean machine Merab Dvalishvili.
However, should O’Malley win, the options are diverse. Sandhagen and Dvalishvili remain in the mix, but Cejudo and “Sugar” have beefed in person and online for years. Whether O’Malley sees that as an interesting title fight is up to him should he secure the belt.
All in all, the bantamweight title picture is as fascinating as the edges of its rankings are. Any time two 135ers step into the Octagon, it’s worth watching, whether numbers are present or not. And when two elite bantamweights square off as they have all month, it’s must-watch television.
UFC 292: Sterling vs O'Malley took place live from TD Garden in Boston on August 19, 2023. See the Final Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC Fight Pass!
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