Mario Bautista willing to fight Sean O'Malley for title shot
Mario Bautista said he would take a fight against former teammate Sean O'Malley if a bantamweight title shot hung in the balance.
Bautista, who stopped Cory Sandhagen at UFC 329 last week in Las Vegas, trains at Team Alpha Male in Sacramento alongside the former champion. But the rising contender told MMA Mania that shared gym time would not stand in his way. "We both have the same dream," he said.
What Bautista-O'Malley matchup means for bantamweight division
The pairing makes sense on paper. Bautista is riding momentum after the Sandhagen finish, while O'Malley remains the biggest name outside the current title picture at 135 pounds. MMA Mania noted that the teammate angle is the only wrinkle preventing the bout from being the obvious next move.
O'Malley lost the belt to Merab Dvalishvili last year and has not fought since. Bautista's win over Sandhagen, a perennial contender, pushed him into the top five and within striking distance of a championship opportunity. Whether the UFC books teammates against each other remains unclear, but Bautista made his position known.
No timeline has been announced for either fighter's next appearance in the Octagon.
Original reporting:
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