In an electrifying rematch at UFC 299, rising star Sean O'Malley of the U.S. delivered a decisive victory over Marlon Vera of Ecuador, avenging his only career loss to date. The main event at the Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida, saw O'Malley win by unanimous decision with scores of 50-45, 50-45, and 50-44.
This victory marked O'Malley's first defense of the bantamweight belt, solidifying his position in the UFC ranks. \"I felt something in his face break,\" O'Malley remarked after the fight. \"I don't know if it was his nose or cheek. I felt something snap.\"
According to ESPN, O'Malley showcased his striking prowess by landing 230 significant strikes over five rounds, the third most in a single title bout in UFC history and the highest in any bantamweight title fight. Notably, his right knee up the middle caused a cut below Vera's right eye in the second round, and a powerful right hand in the third round further secured his dominance.
In contrast, Vera managed to land only 89 significant strikes against O'Malley. Despite the loss, Vera remains determined, stating, \"I'll be back. I'll be champion one day.\"
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UFC rising star O'Malley gets revenge on Vera for his only career loss to date
cgtn.com
