Morning Report | Sean O’Malley wowed by Ilia Topuria’s epic UFC 317 knockout: ‘Thank God he didn’t accept my callout’

Sean O’Malley has modified his thoughts about eager to combat Ilia Topuria.

Following Topuria’s unbelievable first-round knockout of Charles Oliveira in the primary occasion of UFC 317, O’Malley was in absolute awe of the newly topped light-weight champion. O’Malley was so astounded, he retroactively walked again a previous problem he made to Topuria when each held titles in several divisions.

“Holy f*ck,” O’Malley mentioned in a stay response to Topuria’s win on his YouTube channel. “Islam [Makhachev] vs. Topuria must occur. He’s up there with Jon Jones. Knocked out [Alexander Volkanovski], knocked out Max [Holloway], knocked out Charles. Islam subsequent at 170? Holy f*ck. Who would even combat Ilia at 155 subsequent? Holy f*ck, man.

“Thank God he didn’t settle for my callout. … After I beat ‘Chito’ [Marlon Vera], I known as out Ilia and he acquired scared and ran to 155. No, I’m simply kidding, thank God the UFC didn’t make that combat.”

O’Malley’s verbal feud with Topuria peaked after UFC 299 in March 2024, when O’Malley efficiently defended the bantamweight title with a lopsided choice win over Marlon Vera. On the time, Topuria was barely a month faraway from turning into featherweight champion and O’Malley was interested by making a superfight occur.

“I don’t know there’s simply sure individuals that you just form of simply wish to combat. Ilia’s that man,” O’Malley mentioned on The MMA Hour. “He’s additionally completed a extremely good job. He’s a star. He’s not a celebrity however he’s shut and it takes two names to make huge fights.

“I’ve been very vocal since I’ve been within the UFC, my objective is to get the huge fights. That’s what I would like and that’s the explanation behind that callout.”

The grudge match by no means materialized and O’Malley later misplaced the belt to Topuria’s fellow Georgian Merab Dvalishvilli.

O’Malley then misplaced a rematch to Dvalishvili, making his future unclear within the 135-pound division so long as “The Machine” is on prime. One factor O’Malley is aware of for certain is that if Topuria vs. Islam Makhachev doesn’t materialize—Makhachev vacated the light-weight title to arrange a welterweight title bout with champion Jack Della Maddalena that’s nonetheless to be made official—he already has an ideal challenger in Paddy Pimblett.

“Ilia vs. Paddy is the combat to make,” O’Malley mentioned. “That’s the combat to make so simple as that. Ilia vs. Paddy, one hundred pc, that’s the following combat if it’s not going to be Ilia vs. Islam.”

“That is going to be a f*cking incredible press convention, incredible buildup, and a fairly f*cking epic combat. Holy shit, that’s the combat to make. … I’m f*cking excited, let’s make it occur. I’m going to name [UFC CEO] Dana [White], see what we are able to do.”

Legend. Ilia Topuria is the brand new light-weight champion, one of many few two-division champions in UFC historical past, and he completed this feat with one of many nastiest title combat knockouts ever.

Subsequent. Paddy Pimblett must be Topuria’s subsequent challenger, proper?

Additionally. Jake Paul beat Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in his newest foray into boxing.

Love. Joshua Van and Brandon Royval stole the present at UFC 317.

Nope. Dana White shoots down Jon Jones’ rationalization of how the previous few months of his profession went down.

Redemption. Christopher Ewert is getting his shot at Dana White Contender Sequence after UFC 317 weigh-in debacle.

UFC 317 post-fight present.

Re-live a wild Saturday night time Watch Get together.

UFC 317 post-fight scrums.

Paul vs. Chavez Jr. post-fight scrums.

On To the Subsequent One. MMA Combating’s Mike Heck and Alexander Okay. Lee look forward to Ilia Topuria and Alexandre Pantoja’s upcoming title challenges (don’t mess this up, UFC), and make matchup picks for the remainder of the massive winners at UFC 317.

I would like NOW.

That mentioned, simply how good is Charles Johnson?

Neat!

Respect.

No want, legend.

Hell of a stat.

{Dollars} and cents.

Hey, cease making sense.

It wasn’t the absolute best UFC 317 card we might have had on paper, however rattling if the occasion didn’t ship in the long run.

Ilia Topuria’s coronation was pure cinema, Alexandre Pantoja confirmed why he’s one among MMA’s best champions, Joshua Van and Brandon Royval gave us a Battle of the 12 months entrance runner, and we had a few incredible finishes that didn’t even earn Efficiency of the Night time bonuses.

Even higher, the matchmakers have been handed two blockbuster matchups on a silver platter in Topuria vs. Pimblett, and Pantoja vs. Van. Let’s get the ink dry on these contracts ASAP.

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