YouTube personalities sparring with top UFC fighters has become a notable trend in combat sports. Former UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland has frequently taken part in these sessions, showing his skills against various influencers. Recently, former heavyweight champion Jiri Prochazka demonstrated this trend by defeating two Swedish YouTubers in a single sparring session.
Now, former bantamweight champion Sean O'Malley has joined in. In a recent video shared on his YouTube channel, O'Malley sparred with Frankie C, a professional poker player and YouTuber also known as Frank Cucchiara. Although O'Malley was less aggressive than Strickland typically is, he still managed to deliver powerful body shots that ultimately dropped Frankie C.
Before the sparring session, O'Malley made his intentions clear, saying, “I want him to feel like he got hit by a truck. I want to hurt him in the body, I want to kick his leg a couple of times. A hard couple of leg kicks. I’m going to try and get him really, really tired.”
O'Malley is currently preparing for the most significant fight of his career, a rematch against bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili. Dvalishvili defeated O'Malley at UFC 306 last September, capturing the championship title. After that loss, O'Malley required hip surgery, which sidelined him for several months. During his recovery, Dvalishvili successfully defended the title against Umar Nurmagomedov.
The highly anticipated rematch between O'Malley and Dvalishvili is set to headline UFC 316 on June 7 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. This fight marks a crucial moment for O'Malley as he aims to reclaim his position at the top of the bantamweight division.
