UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley has some advice for Cory Sandhagen.
Earlier this week, ‘The Sandman’ appeared on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani. In the interview, Cory Sandhagen maligned some of the treatment that his peers receive. The bantamweight contender stated that the likes of Umar Nurmagomedov have “famous guy leverage”. In the interview, he also took somewhat of a shot at Sean O’Malley.
Cory Sandhagen stated that he would like to get some of that treatment himself. He joked that he should get face tattoos, and dye his hair, seemingly a nod to Sean O’Malley. Although, it seems that the bantamweight is aware that’s just how the sport itself is.
“There’s famous guy leverage,” Cory Sandhagen stated on The MMA Hour earlier this week. “I won’t beat around the bush, there’s famous guy leverage. I’m trying to acquire some famous guy leverage. I think maybe I should start hanging out with rappers and maybe making myself look less like a normal dude than I do already. Maybe that will be my 2024 rebrand. I’ll get some tattoos on my face, I’ll color [my hair] and I’ll start hanging out with some rappers. It’s just the nature of the sport.”
It seems that Sean O’Malley would agree with Cory Sandhagen’s comments. Taking to X earlier today, ‘Sugar’ told the bantamweight contender that he should get some face tattoos. Along with that, he should defeat other bantamweight contenders, such as Petr Yan and Aljamain Sterling. The win over the latter last August saw O’Malley win UFC gold as well.
Image via: @sugasean on Instagram
Sean O’Malley offers Cory Sandhagen advice following fame comments
“Face tat might help. KOing Aljo or Beating Peter might help also IDK” – O’Malley wrote on X earlier today.
Cory Sandhagen also added in the interview that he’s hoping to secure a bantamweight title shot upon his return. As of now, the championship is set to be on the line in the main event of UFC 299 in March. In the main event of the pay-per-view offering from Miami, Sean O’Malley will look to make his first title defense against Marlon Vera.
‘Chito’ famously handed the future champion a first-round stoppage loss back in 2020, the first loss of O’Malley’s career. Four years later, they will run it back, but with UFC gold on the line. While Sandhagen hopes to meet the winner of the bout, he still needs to recover from a torn triceps he suffered last year.
He suffered the injury in the fourth round of a unanimous decision victory over Rob Font last December. While he hoped to score a title shot with the win, he was put on the shelf due to injury. In the meantime, Cory Sandhagen will get to watch Sean O’Malley and Marlon Vera fight for bantamweight gold.
What do you make of these comments? Do you agree with Sean O’Malley’s advice to Cory Sandhagen?
