WATCH | Sean O’Malley and Marlon Vera faceoff for first time since being booked to headline UFC 299

UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley had his first faceoff with Marlon Vera since their rematch became official.

Earlier this week, UFC CEO Dana White announced that O’Malley would defend his bantamweight title in the main event of UFC 299 against Vera. It serves as a rematch of their 2020 fight that Vera won by first-round TKO in a bout that O’Malley hurt his ankle.

Since then, the two have continued to take shots at one another, and after Sean O’Malley knocked out Aljamain Sterling to become the champ, he called out Vera. Following the rematch being booked, the two had a faceoff after UFC 295 media day.

https://twitter.com/espnmma/status/1722377765364564356

O’MALLEY vs VERA!!!! pic.twitter.com/VEm0bWPBFo

— danawhite (@danawhite) November 8, 2023

During the faceoff, Sean O’Malley is heard telling Marlon Vera it’s been a long time, while ‘Chito’ told him he’s going to f**k him up. It was an intense faceoff which adds to the anticipation of the scrap which will go down in March at a location TBD.

Ahead of the rematch, Sean O’Malley went on The MMA Hour and was oozing with confidence as he believes he will smoke Marlon Vera at UFC 299.

“I want that fight. It’s just perfect. I feel like it’s perfect timing. After that first fight, everyone was like, ‘You gotta get that rematch, you gotta get that rematch.’ And I said, ‘I’ll get that rematch when I want that, when it’s time,” Sean O’Malley said on The MMA Hour. “When it’s time for that rematch, I’m going to call for it and I’ll get it.’ I could’ve gotten that rematch whenever I wanted. I was like, it’s not the right time yet. Now is the right time, so I’m just very excited about that fight. I don’t want to talk him down too much, because I’ve got to build a fight. But I’m going to smoke this dude.”

Since losing to Vera in 2020, O’Malley has gone 5-0 with one No Contest.