“I don’t care at all what people say,” O’Malley said in response to questions from reporters. “It doesn’t affect me. I like being the underdog, the one everyone doubts. Going into this fight, I don’t feel pressured.”
“My opponent is the greatest fighter in the lightweight division, he’s going on a nine-fight win streak, and he says I don’t deserve a title shot. Imagine how stupid he’s going to look when I go out there and knock him out, not even having earned the right to be in that position and turn his lights out. He’s going to look really stupid.”
“Yeah, I’ll go out and knock him out, he’ll move up to welterweight, and I’ll continue to do what he did in the division – I’ll take people out. And if he goes out and wins and moves up, I’m still the last guy to fight for the belt. So I’m the champion in any outcome, even if I lose. I like that situation. It’s a win-win for me.”
As a reminder, the featherweight title fight between Aljamain Sterling and Sean O’Malley will be the main event of UFC 292, which takes place on August 19 in Boston.