Sean O’Malley is showing off his style before he even steps foot in the octagon.
This Saturday at UFC 299 in Miami, O’Malley defends his bantamweight title for the first time against rival Marlon Vera, and he’ll do so rocking a pair of neon pink shorts. It’s the latest bold fashion statement from the popular “Sugar,” who has always made an effort to stand out from the crowd with his constantly changing hair color and facial tattoos.
See O’Malley’s reveal of his new gear below.
4 days out from 299, go buy the PPV before it sells out! pic.twitter.com/xu4jCazxO2
— Sean O'Malley (@SugaSeanMMA) March 5, 2024
The Suga Show is going ✨pink ✨@SugaSeanMMA will wear pink shorts in his first bantamweight title defense this weekend at #UFC299 pic.twitter.com/dLsLPTej5P
— UFC (@ufc) March 5, 2024
O’Malley isn’t the first fighter to don pink for a UFC fight, nor is he even the first champion to do so. Of note, former middleweight titleholder Rick Franklin previously incorporated elements of pink into his gear, as has former UFC light heavyweight contender Phil Davis.
The move may have been inspired by a social media interaction O’Malley had this past September, where he responded to a fan edit of himself in pink shorts.
Cap
— Sean O'Malley (@SugaSeanMMA) September 25, 2023
Be fire tho
“Cap,” O’Malley wrote. “Be fire tho.”
The apparel deals that the UFC has signed in recent years (previously with Reebok, now Venum) have limited clothing options for fighters on the roster, but apparently O’Malley’s creativity will not be stifled.
Whether O’Malley will shine as brightly as his shorts on fight night remains to be seen as he has to overcome “Chito,” the only man to hand him a loss in his professional career.
