Sean O’Malley vs. Raulian Paiva Set for UFC 269
Sean O’Malley(14-1) will look to add to his two-fight winning streak as he is preparing to face Raulian Paiva(21-3) at UFC 269.
ESPN initially reported(via Brett Okamoto) that UFC is finalizing a bantamweight bout between O’Malley and Paiva. MMA Fighting also confirmed that the match is under discussion.
Sean O’Malley later confirmed the match on Instagram as he posted reading the contract for the match. He captioned,
“Guess who’s back, back again. Suga’s back, tell a friend. Sug Mobile Arena 11 December Las Vegas against number 15 ranked Raulian Paiva.”
Sean O’Malley is coming off two straight wins against Thomas Almeida(UFC 260, 3rd round KO) and Kris Moutinho(UFC 264, 3rd round TKO). Before that, he lost to Marlon Vera at UFC 252, which remains his only loss in the Octagen since gaining attention with Dana White Contender Series in 2017.
His Brazilain opponent Raulian Paiva is also a Contender Series Brazil graduate. Paiva is also coming with three straight wins after two straight losses in his first two UFC matches.
Despite his good record, O’Malley has refused to face higher-ranked opponents, citing a lack of pay raise. Paiva is currently ranked at #15, but he could soon crack the top 10 if he defeats O’Malley.
UFC has not announced a location for UFC 269, which will take place on December 11, 2021. But, it is expected to air from T-Mobile Center in Las Vegas, NV.
The PPV event already has two title fights finalized with Amanda Nunes vs. Julianna Pena for Women’s Bantamweight title and Brandon Moreno vs. Deiveson Figueiredo trilogy for Flyweight Championship. The main event is expected to be UFC Lightweight Champion Charles Oliviera vs. Dustin Poirier.
Keep tuned for the latest news and updates from UFC.
