UFC bantamweight Sean O’Malley competed recently in the grappling industries tournament. The purple belt O’Malley did a good job reaching the finals of the advanced division but when he reached the finals he faced a formaidable oppponent in John Danaher brown belt Robert Degle. The Danaher squad member wasted no time in setting up a heel hook, finishing the UFC star.
O’Malley last fight in the UFC was a TKO loss to Marlon “Chito” Vera, so he’s keeping busy competing in Grappling. He is a purple belt under BJJ legend Augusto Tanquinho Mendes.
Degle had nothing but great things to say about O’Malley:
“Had a great opportunity to compete against the rising UFC star Sean O’Malley in a @grapplingindustries event here in Phoenix, Arizona,” Degle wrote. “For Sean to compete in such an event demonstrates a very respectable desire to grow as a martial artist. Realistically he had nothing practical to gain by doing this event. The man has over a million followers and is surely making bank in MMA. So why do the event? We spoke afterwards and he explained that he simply loved JuJitsu. I hope the experience of competing against me helps push him to further development as a martial artist. I was a fan before but an even bigger one now.”
Former UFC fighter and BJJ black belt Chael Sonnen commented on the situation and talked about how he respects O’Malley for putting it on the line and competing in BJJ with an injured foot.
