With a second-round knockout victory over Alex Pereira, Israel Adesanya etched his name in the history books as the first two-time Middleweight champion in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). This triumph marked his eighth win in a UFC title bout, solidifying his status as an unparalleled force in the Octagon.

Although Adesanya faced a setback in his initial mixed martial arts (MMA) clash against Pereira in November 2022, he quickly regained his footing, amassing an impressive five title defenses before his reign was temporarily put on hold. Now, at the age of 33, "The Last Stylebender" continues to soar, inspiring up-and-coming talents like Sean O'Malley.

As O'Malley prepares for his own shot at UFC gold against Bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling at UFC 292 next month (August 19, 2023), he looks up to Adesanya as a symbol of achievement and determination. The indomitable spirit of Israel Adesanya serves as a driving force for the next generation of rising stars in the world of mixed martial arts.

“‘Izzy’ has been the best champ UFC’s ever seen,” “The amount of times he’s fought consistently as a champion in the UFC is f—king legendary.” O’Malley said.

While O'Malley gears up for his championship opportunity, it seems that another Sean might be in line as Israel Adesanya's potential next UFC opponent.

Adesanya, the current Middleweight champion, recently dropped hints about Dricus Du Plessis, the expected next challenger, having sustained a foot injury that will sideline him for the UFC 293 event scheduled on Sept. 10, 2023. Consequently, there is growing speculation that Sean Strickland could potentially fill Du Plessis' spot, a scenario that the contender himself has acknowledged is being discussed.

Even with the potential alterations in the 185-pound division, O'Malley remains completely supportive of the backup option.

“Adesanya vs. Strickland is probabaly going to be next,” O’Malley said. “Who did [Jared] Cannonier just fight? Marvin [Vettori], that’s right. Looked good against Marvin, beat Sean Strickland, but already lost to Adesanya. I wonder if Jared’s like, ‘What the f—k?’ or you get the game and you’re like, ‘Okay, Sean Strickland’s a f—king character.’