UFC bantamweight Kris Moutinho has suggested that Sean O’Malley will remember him for the rest of his life after their fight at UFC 264.
Moutinho’s comments came after he made a gritty and gutsy UFC debut at last weekend’s pay-per-view. Having spent last month working 80 hours a week inside a factory, the 28-year-old found himself making his first walk to the Octagon in front of 20,000+ fans inside Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena.
Despite putting up a much better fight than many had predicted, Moutinho was finally stopped with less than 30 seconds of the third round remaining. Herb Dean’s stoppage drew heavy criticism from fans and media members, with many suggesting he should have given Moutinho, who was still on his feet and swinging back, the chance to hear the final horn.
But despite not going the distance, the Massachusetts-based bantamweight certainly made his name known. After making his short notice debut on MMA’s biggest stage, Moutinho revealed his love for the sport and his passion for fighting.
During an appearance on MMA Junkie Radio, the Portuguese-American revealed how much he enjoys hitting others and, uniquely, being hit.
“Fighting is what I love to do, man. I love to fight. I love to hit each other. I love to get hit. I love to know what this feeling is, to see who I am as a man and see how you are as a man.”
That perhaps explains why Moutinho was able to push through 230 significant strikes and continue to pressure O’Malley all the way up until the third-round stoppage. It was that perseverance and pressure that the UFC newcomer believes was a new challenge for the rising 135-pound star, one in which he won’t be forgetting anytime soon, according to Moutinho.
“I asked him in the fight at one point. I was like, ‘You’re tired, bro. I can see it. You’re tired.’ And he was like, ‘Yeah.’ So I know I got to the dude, and I know that he’s gonna remember me for the rest of his life. He’s never gonna wanna fight me again. And if he does, man, there’s a lot of different things I’m gonna do in this fight if I ever have to fight him again, man,” said Moutinho.
But despite being taken to new depths by Moutinho, O’Malley still put in an impressive striking performance that saw him break the bantamweight record for the most significant strikes in a single bout.
While Moutinho has proven he belongs in the UFC and will likely be given another fight in the promotion in the future, O’Malley will look to continue his rise up the bantamweight ladder with a bigger name next time out. Having called out some top names, “Sugar” will patiently wait to hear who he’ll enter the Octagon with when he returns later this year.
How do you think Kris Moutinho performed on his UFC debut against Sean O’Malley at UFC 264?
