Sean O’Malley says he scored the UFC 288 main event for Henry Cejudo: “I thought Henry was up 3-1 going into the fifth”

Sean O’Malley doesn’t agree with the outcome of the UFC 288 main event title fight between Aljamain Sterling and Henry Cejudo.

Sterling put the UFC Bantamweight Championship on the line against Cejudo inside the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey this past Saturday (May 6). The fight was highly competitive and went the distance. Sterling emerged victorious via split decision.

Sean O’Malley Disagrees With Decision

After the fight, O’Malley got inside the Octagon and had an intense staredown with Sterling. During the UFC 288 post-fight press conference, Sean O’Malley told media members that he felt Cejudo should’ve been awarded the victory and his second UFC Bantamweight Championship.

Sean O'Malley on how he scored the #UFC288 main event pic.twitter.com/fjSC3x5WwU

— UFC (@ufc) May 7, 2023

“I thought Henry was up 3-1 going into the fifth,” O’Malley said. “I was honestly pretty surprised that Aljo won, I thought that Henry did what he needed to do. We’re in New York, we’re in New Jersey I mean.”

Late last year, O’Malley told The Schmo that he believed Sterling was holding off the Cejudo fight. He noted that even if Sterling would beat Cejudo, which as we know he ultimately did, he’d be no match for the “Suga” show.

“Aljo is holding it up, if I had to guess. I don’t know. I think Aljo is probably trying to make the most out of being champ, because he knows it’s not gonna last much longer. Even if he gets past Henry, he ain’t getting past the Suga show. So, he’s trying to do what he’s doing, and start businesses outside. Which is smart of him, because he ain’t gonna be champ for long.”

Aljamain Sterling told reporters following UFC 288 that he wants to fight next in September. If all goes well, he’s hoping to then take another fight in December. The 135-pound titleholder said that the old narrative that he didn’t want to fight is far from the truth, as he doesn’t get paid if he isn’t inside the Octagon.