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Sean O'Malley thinks that his looming MMA fight will usurp Canelo Alvarez's next boxing bout with the two contests set to go down on the same night.
The reigning UFC bantamweight champion was speaking to Molly Qerim, Stephen A. Smith, and Shannon Sharpe on ESPN's 'First Take' in the lead-up to his headlining bout at the highly anticipated Noche UFC 306.
When asked by Smith if his fight will outperform Alvarez's in the context of what that says about the UFC's drawing power as well as the UFC champion's star power overall, O'Malley said:
"I do believe the numbers will be better for the UFC and us that night. I do believe Sunday, Monday that week it'll all be about the UFC, the 'Suga' show. I'm defending the belt, the bantamweight champ fighting the No. 1 guy on a 10-fight win streak in the UFC. The best, the biggest platform in MMA sports. Then Canelo's fighting a guy, I know you told me his name the other day and I forgot it already. Yeah burrito, [Edgar] Berlanga. I think UFC, we're gonna crush it. We're gonna crush it."
Check out Sean O'Malley's comments on his fight outperforming Canelo Alvarez's below(4:32):
Sean O'Malley and Canelo Alvarez's respective assignments on Sept. 14
Sean O'Malley will look to notch the second defense of his UFC bantamweight championship against the promotion's No. 1-ranked contender at 135 pounds, Merab Dvalishvili. The Sphere in Las Vegas, Nevada will play host to this massive matchup on Sept. 14.
As for Canelo Alvarez, the man who many see as boxing's biggest star today, will collide with Edgar Berlanga. Alvarez will put his WBC, WBA, and WBO super middleweight titles on the line against an undefeated professional as well as the WBA No. 1 mandatory contender in Berlanga.
This 168-pound boxing bout transpires not just on the same night as the MMA showpiece but in the same city. Canelo's title defense will take place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, Sept. 14.
