Arguably the fastest rising star in MMA, Sean O’Malley did more than add to the hype with a third round knockout of promotional newcomer Kris Moutinho at UFC 264.
O’Malley landed 230 out of 318 significant strikes attempted against Moutinho, which was the most all time for a three-round fight in the UFC’s Bantamweight division. He fell just eight strikes short of the all time record across all weight classes, which is held by Nate Diaz. Diaz landed 238 out of 362 significant strikes attempted against Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone at UFC 141 back in 2011.
O’Malley’s friend and YouTuber turned boxing star Jake Paul mistakenly tweeted that “The Sugar Show” had broken the all time record. MMA reporter Aaron Bronsteter tweeted out the correct data, however.
The win for O’Malley was not without controversy, however. Many questioned the decision to call the fight with 30 seconds remaining after Moutinho had been allowed to go as long as he had. The UFC debutant was not happy with the stoppage, but he did gain plenty of fans for his relentless pressure. Moutinho walked forward from start to finish with a zombie-like demeanor, eating shot after shot but continuously pressing forward.
O’Malley and Moutinho were awarded Fight of the Night honors, which came with a $75,000 bonus. This is up 25k from the usual $50,000. Tai Tuivasa and Dricus Du Plessis were awarded Performance of the Night bonuses.
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