By The Numbers: Sean O’Malley vs. Marlon Vera

Sean O'Malley’s first-round knockout victory over Alfred Khashakyan in Dana White's Contender Series in 2017 remains a fixture in highlight reels. He sustained an unscathed march within the UFC up to the point where his path crossed with looming nemesis-to-be, Marlon Vera. Prior to that, O’Malley radiated an unassailable front, rattling off 12 victories with nine finishes.

Under rather unfortunate circumstances, that impervious record met its reckoning at UFC 252 at the hands of Vera. An unanticipated pivot off his lead leg wrought significant injury, which was later diagnosed as a drop foot. The sequence of events came courtesy of a leg kick from Vera that rendered “Sugar” incapacitated and unable to bear weight on his leg. While it was officially etched as a blemish on his record as a TKO loss, O’Malley refuses to acknowledge it as a definitive loss, persisting in his defiance even to this day.

Their careers veered in different directions with O’Malley eventually clinching bantamweight gold, while Vera forged ahead, establishing himself as a perennial threat, holding firm at the No.5 position in the divisional rankings. Since then, verbal volleys have been traded, weighty assertions put forth, and anticipation heightened about how a rematch would transpire. The stage is now set for a rematch in the main event spot of UFC 299. The event which is set to go down at the Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida, on March 10, is poised to be a symphony of vengeance. Both competitors, the protagonists of their narratives, seek to establish a definitive conclusion to their ongoing feud. Before that, let’s take a look at the statistics that underpin the skills of these two seasoned fighters.

6: O’Malley occupies the fifth spot (tie) in the all-time divisional rankings for most finishes with six.

6: He also holds the shared second spot at 135-pounds for most KO/TKO wins with six finishes to his name.

8: O’Malley ties T.J. Dillashaw for most post-fight bonuses in bantamweight division history.

61.2%: “Sugar” is the bantamweight leader for significant strike accuracy with a staggering 61.2% of strike attempts finding their mark.

7.29: He also leads the chart for most strikes landed per minute with 7.29 strikes per minute.

3.89: While renowned for his offensive onslaught, O’Malley presents solid defensive skills, underscored by the 3.89 striking differential between him and his opponents.

9: The 29-year-old has nine first-round finishes to his credit.

19: Vera is a 19-fight veteran in the bantamweight division, a stat that highlights his vast experience having competed against the best of the division.

13: He occupies the tied second spot for most wins with 13 victories at 135 pounds.

10: Vera commands the top spot in divisional rankings for most finishes with 10 under his belt.

6: Like O’Malley, Vera holds the shared second spot at 135 pounds for most KO/TKO wins with six.

4: Vera also has four submission wins under his belt which is tied for third most in the division.

6: “Chito” is fourth in the rankings for most post-fight bonuses.

3:59:51: His rich combat sports background, particularly in the UFC, is punctuated by the fact that he claims the highest rung for total fight time.

10: “Chito” is also the leader for most knockdowns landed with 10, highlighting his explosive fighting style.