Darren Till sees similarities between himself and Sean O'Malley, and has words of advice for the young prospect.
O?Malley suffered the first loss of his professional MMA career to Marlon Vera, which came by way of a first-round TKO at UFC 252. The defeated O?Malley has been less than gracious in defeat. Till says O?Malley should just accept that he lost.
?You always have to give credit,? Till said on Believe You Me (via Mike Heck of MMA Fighting). ?I was saying something to someone before about Sean O?Malley with ?Chito? Vera, I really like Sean and I think he?s gonna be good, but you got beat, man. Take your loss, have respect, you will be a champion yet in the future, but don?t start calling the guy who just beat you a journeyman. I?m not throwing disrespect at him. I think he?s a good fighter, but there?s two things that stuck out in my mind. One is the way that he lost [with his ankle] and it just makes me think that I fought three complete rounds with a torn MCL. My knees are fucked. I know what I had to fight with for those three rounds. I couldn?t use what I?m best at. I?m a master of movement and I couldn?t do it. I was there. There was no way I was going. Even when Rob took me down, I was in so much pain and I was like, ?Get back up, get back up, get back up.? Number two, I just think the way he?s handling it after the fight, ?Oh, he?s a journeyman, I?m gonna be a champion,? mate, just take the loss. Give the respect and you?ll be a champion. Just forget all of that.?
Till was not the only fighter to speak out against O?Malley?s attitude after the loss. Vera has also taken aim at O?Malley on Twitter and in various interviews. One thing Till readily points out is that other great combat sports competitors have lost and still had legendary careers.
?The world?s best have all lost,? Till stated. ?Muhammad Ali, I even believe Floyd Mayweather lost, too, even though he is one of a kind. We all lost. I am one of the world?s best and we all lose. Take your loss, go back, come back.?
O?Malley was booted out of the rankings after the loss, while Vera sits at no. 15 in the UFC bantamweight division.
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