By: Grant DeVuyst
One of the most exciting fights to watch this weekend can be found all the way down at the bottom of the main card. Sean O’Malley (11-0) will be entering the ring for only the second time since his 2019 doping suspension, looking to extend his undefeated professional record.
For the bout, O’Malley is squaring off against octagon veteran Eddie Wineland (24-13-1). This will mark Wineland’s first return to the ring since a TKO win over Grigory Popov at UFC 238 one year ago.
Going into UFC 239 last July, O’Malley was on a 3-win streak in the UFC, starting with his appearance on Dan White’s Contender Series in 2017. His scheduled fight against Marlon Vera was abruptly canceled when O’Malley tested positive for ostarine. For the uninitiated, that’s a drug with effects similar to anabolic steroids. UFC suspended O’Malley for six months, and he didn’t line up a fight again until UFC 249 earlier this year.
O’Malley came out of exile in exceptional form, kicking José Alberto Quiñónez to the ground in the first round and getting a TKO in a flurry of punches. The precision and brutality of his performance matched his record, a laundry list of KOs and TKOs.
In this showdown, there’s more than a huge age difference between the fighters. Look for the depth-conscious O’Malley (25) to try to work in some leg kicks against Wineland’s (35) wide stance.
Both of the bantamweights are accomplished strikers, and although Wineland comes in as a clear underdog, he is certainly not to be discounted completely. O’Malley, on the other hand, will surely be looking to catapult his way up the division with the diverse toolset of attacks he brings to the cage.
Vegas odds have O’Malley an extreme favorite (-500) over Wineland (+375). It might not be prudent to go for the quick cash, here.
