Sean O’Malley, the former bantamweight champion, is making major changes ahead of his anticipated return to the UFC.
Following his loss to Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 306, O’Malley is taking a new approach to his career and personal life.
The 30-year-old fighter announced that for the entirety of 2025, he will be deleting all social media from his phone, leaving his team to manage his online presence.
In a Instagram post, O’Malley explained, “2025, I am deleting all my social medias off my phone until my next fight.
My team will be running my socials. We will still make content but I just need a detox from my phone. Going to focus on reaching my full potential as an athlete and a father.”
O’Malley’s announcement came after his humiliating loss to Dvalishvili, which left him determined to refocus and work harder in the gym.
His fans seem to be supportive of his decision, believing that this social media detox will help him regain his focus and become a more disciplined athlete.
Many believe that cutting out distractions will allow him to reach his potential and come back stronger, especially if he focuses on improving his wrestling and grappling.
One fan commented, “This gonna be a dangerous Sean especially if he works on BJJ & wrestling/grappling,” reflecting the sentiment that O’Malley’s biggest weakness – his grappling – was a key factor in his defeat to Dvalishvili.
Others echoed the sentiment that this move towards discipline was long overdue.
However, not all fans were supportive. Some took to social media to criticize O’Malley, with one commenting, “We didn’t really need to hear this,” while others poked fun at his decision.
There was also some speculation about O’Malley’s next steps, with fans suggesting that he should consider training in Dagestan, the birthplace of world-renowned grapplers like Khabib Nurmagomedov.
A comment read, “Take a trip to Dagestan, my boy,” implying that O’Malley could benefit from training with top Russian wrestlers to level up his grappling skills.
O’Malley’s bold decision to step away from the distractions of social media could signal a serious commitment to refining his skills as he aims for a comeback in 2025.
Fans are eager to see whether this new phase will lead to a successful title chase and perhaps a rematch with Merab Dvalishvili.
