The overwhelming majority of fighters in the UFC are anonymous, unknown to everyone but their families, their teammates and the hardest-core MMA fans.
There are more than 600 fighters on the roster. If a casual fan were shown headshots of them, he would be lucky to correctly identify 50.
Sean O’Malley, though, is not anonymous, and never has been since the day he shocked everyone with the brilliance of his performance at Dana White’s Contender Series.
Even when O’Malley isn’t grabbing the spotlight by the throat and saying, “Look at me,” he remains one of the sport’s most compelling figures.
He’s 30 years old heading into his rematch against bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili on Saturday in the main event of UFC 316 in Newark, N.J., and at a time of great personal change.
O’Malley spent much of his time at Wednesday’s media day explaining the changes he’s made in his life since he dropped the belt to Dvalishvili when they fought at The Sphere in Las Vegas in September in the main event of UFC 306.
The colorful hair is gone, replaced by his natural brunette color. So, too, is the nickname, “Suga.” He’s given up smoking marijuana, sworn off social media and devoted more of himself to his family.
His father, Dan, will be in his corner on Saturday, as a 60th birthday present.
“He gets nervous before the fights, so for me, it’ll be kind of funny to watch him in the back,” O’Malley said. “The boys in the corner, we’ve all been through this so many times that we’re just calm in the back. It’s just another Saturday night for us.“But for him, [it’s different]. It’ll be funny to watch him pretend to be calm.”
O’Malley spent more time talking about the changes in his life Wednesday than he did about his thoughts on Dvalishvili. He called Dvalishvili the best bantamweight in UFC history and praised him for his 12-fight winning streak, but he mostly answered questions about his changes.
He smirked at one point when he was asked to list all of the life changes he’s made and which of them would be most helpful to him in his fight.
He never did answer, at least not then.
“I was just taking away distractions, and that was just for me as a person, not necessarily as an athlete or to be a better fighter,” O’Malley said. “All that stuff will make me a better fighter, but it wasn’t necessarily for that.”
The change with the biggest impact on the title fight, and the one he wishes he didn’t have to make, is a physical one.
O’Malley had surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left hip on Oct. 3, just weeks after his loss to Dvalishvili. He had the surgery scheduled before the bout.
His trademark mobility, the root of his brilliance, just wasn’t there. Dvalishvili may well have won regardless because he’s a superstar in the Octagon, but the ingredient that makes O’Malley O’Malley was noticeably absent.
He would have pulled the plug had he not believed he could have won in September, but fighting with a bum hip would be like Dvalishvili fighting with just OK cardio conditioning.
He just shrugged it off and said he entered UFC 306 fully confident he’d leave with his belt.
“No excuses because I still thought I could have won,” O’Malley said.
But O’Malley is a striker, whose quickness, movement and ability to create angles is what makes him elite. He’s got terrific knockout power and a highlight reel filled with jaw-droppers to prove it, and that all came as a result of his ability to move.
Take a striker’s legs away and it’s like playing a quarterback who can’t throw the ball 10 yards downfield.
Worse, for O’Malley, is that he couldn’t spend time in his first training camp drilling the wrestling defense that’s always needed when Dvalishvili is across the Octagon.
O’Malley’s mobility and elusiveness are traits that made him great.
He’ll have that on Saturday and that will make him a more difficult puzzle for Dvalishvili.
And the changes in his personal life have, in some ways, made him better.
He’s not out selling “Suga Sean.” He’s not trying to garner attention or create the headlines.
He’s at a point in his life where he knows he’s a star and he knows people will follow, and they want to see him do what he does best.
Not always chasing a huge deal or having to be the star of social media has removed a burden. He can work hard and get home and enjoy his family. He had a son a few weeks ago and he’s building a new home.
“It just feels more slowed down,” O’Malley said. “Life is just a bit slower now, in a good way.”
O'Malley doesn't have to shout for attention any more. It finds him. The Suga Show will return on Saturday when the first bell rings.
Then it'll be on him to prove the surgery and the life changes have elevated his outlook but also his performance.
Pink hair or not, though, he remains a fascinating figure and one of the legitimate stars in this sport.
He’s still young and believes he’s just rounding into his prime.
Even while injured, he had Dvalishvili on the ropes in the waning seconds of their first fight. The key for him is to pick up at that point when the bell for Round 1 rings.
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Sean O'Malley is the former UFC bantamweight champion.