Aljamain Sterling, Sean O’Malley’s Next Best Fights After UFC 292 Results

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BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - AUGUST 19: Sean O'Malley prepares to face Aljamain Sterling in the UFC bantamweight championship fight during the UFC 292 event at TD Garden on August 19, 2023 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

Cooper Neill/Zuffa LLC through Getty Images

UFC 292 produced a seismic shift in the bantamweight department with Sean O’Malley beating Aljamain Sterling to take the 135-pound title in the primary occasion from the TD Garden in Boston.

The ripple impact of the occasion will be felt for the foreseeable future. For one, it produces an intriguing concern as to what Sterling is going to do moving forward. Before the battle he showed that he was making the cut down to bantamweight for what was mostlikely the last time.

Then there’s the reality that O’Malley is a star with a huge character and the possible to sell some huge battles in the weight class. With Sterling possibly out of the title image, there are plenty of interesting battles to make for the brand-new champ.

For Sterling, the circumstance of wading into the waters at featherweight provides some enjoyable match as well.

Let’s take a appearance at the next finest battles for each of the primary occasion contenders.

O’Malley: Merab Dvalishvili

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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - MARCH 11: Merab Dvalishvili of Georgia reacts after his unanimous-decision victory over Petr Yan of Russia in a bantamweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas on March 11, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC bymeansof Getty Images

Sean O’Malley may be more interested in a rematch with Marlon “Chito” Vera, however that’s simply fantastic profession management on O’Malley’s part.

There’s some narrative juice to a Vera rematch. He did provide him his veryfirst loss and he’s coming off a win over Pedro Munhoz on the UFC 292 card, however it’s likewise hassle-free for O’Malley that Vera is an simpler match at this point.

Vera had O’Malley’s number in the veryfirst battle, however the reality that he’s prepared to stand and strike with the now-champion makes him a beneficial match.

Dvalishvili, ontheotherhand, is endingupbeing moredifficult and moredifficult to reject as the next opposition for the title. He’s on a nine-fight wins streak and simply beat Petr Yan in March. After viewing O’Malley browse Sterling’s grappling it would be enjoyable to see what he can do with Dvalishvili’s unrelenting attack.

Of course, there’s the entire matter of a taken red coat to settle too.