Sean O'Malley praises 'superstar' Ilia Topuria, glad UFC 'didn't make that fight'
Sean O'Malley admits he dodged a bullet against Ilia Topuria after a past callout never materialized.
O'Malley (18-3 MMA, 10-3 UFC, the then-bantamweight champion, called for a matchup with then-featherweight titleholder, Topuria (17-0 MMA, 9-0 UFC) following a win at UFC 299 in March 2024. It didn't happen, however, and after what O'Malley witness Saturday, he's grateful.
In the UFC 317 main event, Topuria knocked out Charles Oliveira in the first round to capture the lightweight belt. It was a star-making performance from "El Matador," and O'Malley could only offer praise.
"Thank God he didn't accept my callout," O'Malley said on his YouTube channel. "Ilia's a f*cking superstar. ... Thank God the UFC didn't make that fight."
O'Malley expressed interest in seeing Topuria face Islam Makhachev in a super fight next, but with Makhachev slated to challenge welterweight champ Jack Della Maddalena later this year, it's still in the distant future.
After Paddy Pimblett entered the octagon for a staredown with Topuria at the conclusion of UFC 317, however, O'Malley said that's a fight that would have his attention.
"Islam's already fighting JDM, so it's kind of pointless to even fantasize about that fight until that fight happens," O'Malley said. "Ilia vs. Paddy is the fight to make. Simple as that. 100 percent, that's the next fight if it's not going to be Ilia and Islam."
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