Sean O’Malley defends UFC 264 opponent Kris Moutinho: “This guys tough… he’s not just a scrub”

Sean O’Malley believes his UFC 264 opponent, Kris Moutinho is dangerous despite not many people knowing who he is.

O’Malley was supposed to fight Louis Smolka but the Hawaiian was forced out of the bout due to a staph infection with just over a week to go. Several UFC fighters offered their services but Moutinho ended up getting the fight.

Although many criticized the matchmaking due to several fighters calling him out. Yet, O’Malley revealed most of them didn’t end up wanting the fight so he now has Moutinho who he believes is a tough opponent.

“A lot of people think it’s a lose-lose for me. I make a lot of money to go out there and knock the guy (out). This guy’s tough,” O’Malley said at media day (h/t MMAJunkie). “I watched one of his fights this morning and he’s not just a scrub, he’s not a nobody. Well, he is kind of a nobody because no one really knows who he is. But to be fair, not a lot of people know who Simon is, really. He’s beat a couple dudes in the UFC. I couldn’t tell you how many fights he’s had in the UFC. So he comes in there, he shocks the world, it’s a huge fight for him. Props to him for stepping up to take it.”

Despite the fact that no many people know who Moutinho is, O’Malley knows he can’t take him lightly. However, he is expecting to win the fight in a highlight-reel fashion which he believes could end Moutinho’s career.

“He might go in there thinking it’s a win-win for him,” O’Malley said. “He goes out there and loses, he’s in the UFC. But I don’t just knock people out. I change people’s careers. Mentally, the way I knock people out, they step into that cage and they’re different the next time they get out there. So it could be the beginning of his career or it could be the end of his career. So, we’ll see.”

Who do you think will win, Sean O’Malley or Kris Moutinho?