Former UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley has weighed in amid the UFC’s troubled waters with numerous stars.
According to UFC CEO Dana White, Jon Jones was never in consideration for the White House event June 14, which the former two-weight UFC champion took umbrage with. Despite Jones’ eagerness to compete, White went as far as saying he’s done after dealing with arthritis in his hips.
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UFC Hall of Famer Ronda Rousey, who makes her MMA return against Gina Carano on May 16 on Netflix, has criticized the UFC for fighter pay and the quality of its White House card on June 14. She also called White an “employee” of the company and most recently took aim at UFC chief business officer Hunter Campbell.
O’Malley has acknowledged reaping the benefits of being a UFC fighter, and he expects the others to do the same.
“It’s crazy to see all these top guys have an issue with the UFC,” O’Malley said on his YouTube channel. “Ronda obviously is not in the UFC anymore, but she’s talking sh*t about it. Conor (McGregor), one of the biggest stars of all time, is having issues with the UFC. Jon Jones, the GOAT, is having issues with the UFC. It’s crazy.
“All of these careers – who would Conor, Jones, and Ronda be without the UFC? Could they have been successful in other ventures? Yes. Could they have made as much money? Probably not. It’s weird, but I get where they’re coming from, too. If they feel like they’re being treated unfairly, speak up. … You’ve got to be grateful for what you’ve gotten from the UFC, from the business. But, (it’s) tricky.”
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Conor McGregor was hoping to also make his comeback at UFC Freedom 250, but that didn’t materialize. Earlier this month, the Irish superstar said he’s currently in negotiations with the UFC to make his return sometime in summer.
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Sean O’Malley backs UFC amid Ronda Rousey, Jon Jones, McGregor feuds
