Alexandre Pantoja gives his side of Sean O’Malley sparring session

Alexandre Pantoja and Sean O’Malley can’t actually agree on what occurred throughout their sparring session years in the past.

The 2 UFC champions not too long ago had a web-based change the place Pantoja, champion at 125 kilos, known as for a battle with O’Malley, champion at 135 kilos, reminding him of a sparring session that they had in 2017. O’Malley replied, claiming that he knocked out Pantoja in that session earlier than getting gassed and shedding rounds to the Brazilian.

Pantoja now has informed his aspect of the story.

“No person talks about coaching as a result of we’re professionals, however O’Malley is the one which began speaking about coaching earlier than,” Pantoja informed Sherdog. “I believe two or three years in the past, he began speaking about his coaching after I went to Arizona. At that second I used to be coaching with Henry Cejudo and I went to Arizona. I traveled like 15 hours and I’m going to Arizona and the following day I’m going to coach at The Lab. I skilled with John Moraga and O’Malley.

“That day was a tough day for me as a result of that was a protracted journey and I had jet lag, and I made a horrible coaching. When the coaching was over, I informed Henry, ‘Henry, I need to practice right here subsequent week. I need to be again right here subsequent week as a result of I’m not coaching good at the moment. I need to present these guys I’ve rather more.’”

Pantoja says he went to The MMA Lab in Arizona the next week and skilled once more with O’Malley. “Suga” requested if he may report the sparring session, which Pantoja agreed, however after allegedly beating up O’Malley, he by no means obtained the video.

“I went with Cejudo subsequent week and O’Malley got here to coach with me, he got here to do three rounds,” Pantoja mentioned. “That day I simply skilled with O’Malley and I beat him an excessive amount of. Within the second spherical he tried to depart saying, ‘Hey, I’m finished,’ and at that time we mentioned, ‘No, end the coaching with three rounds and that’s it.’ When he got here again, he had no cardio and I put him down and went to mount and punished him rather a lot. He says he beat me, however he has the video. I assumed he was a pleasant child and requested me if he may report the coaching, and I mentioned after all. I informed him to ship me the video after the coaching, and he mentioned sure, however he by no means despatched me the video.”

Pantoja is at present scheduled to make his first title protection on the ultimate pay-per-view of the yr. He takes on Brandon Royval within the co-main occasion of UFC 296 on Dec. 16 in Las Vegas.

Pantoja is concentrated on his title protection, however wouldn’t thoughts going up a division to pursue champ-champ standing in opposition to O’Malley sooner or later.

“If Dana White needs me to battle O’Malley, I’m prepared,” Pantoja mentioned. “Everybody needs to battle this man now, and I’ve an excellent historical past with him. I beat him one time, however that was coaching. Now I can earn cash doing that.”