UFC 299 -- How Sean O'Malley is bringing a new generation of stardom to the UFC - ESPN

A LARGE MOTOR COACH bus pulled out from the side of TD Garden in Boston, and with it came a swarm of people. The oversized vehicle turned onto Causeway Street as security attempted to disperse the mob.

It was Aug. 18, 2023, right after the finish of the UFC 292 ceremonial weigh-ins. Several fighters competing on the card were riding the bus back to the host hotel. The assembled fans, many of them teens or college-aged, were there to see just one: Sean O'Malley. Some wore wigs matching O'Malley's curly, Fruity Pebbles-colored hairdo.

A little more than 24 hours later, O'Malley entered the arena to Lupe Fiasco's song «Superstar» and knocked out Aljamain Sterling to become the UFC bantamweight champion. The man who has long been considered the UFC's leading-man-in-waiting finally had a title to match his hype. And he did it the way he predicted, with a step-back, counter right hand, reminiscent of how Conor McGregor — the man he could usurp as the UFC's biggest star — won his first undisputed UFC belt.

The moment was not lost on McGregor himself.

«Look at O'Malley saying the exact same thing — 'I'm going to be as big as Conor,'» McGregor said in a voice note on X after the KO. «And he goes out and does the f---ing same thing I've done to make me as big as Conor, if you get me. It's just f---ing madness.»

UFC bantamweight champion Sean O'Malley looks to avenge his lone professional loss in a title fight against Marlon Vera, while Dustin Poirier faces rising lightweight contender Benoit Saint Denis in the co-main event.

Buy UFC 299 on ESPN+ PPV

UFC 299: O'Malley vs. Vera 2
Sat., Mar. 9, Kaseya Center, Miami
• Main card: 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+ PPV
• Prelims: 8 p.m. on ESPNews/ESPN+
• Early prelims: 6 p.m. on ESPN+

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