Former UFC champion opens his heart to talk about anxiety in MMA: 'I know I'll go through it all again'

O'Malley promotes UFC event. Photo: Reproduction/Facebook/UFC

Former Ultimate bantamweight champion (up to 61,2 kg), Sean O'Malley has become known as one of the most popular and eye-catching names of this generation. However, as much as Suga has already starred in a series of memorable moments in recent UFC history, the fighter surprised by talking about suffering from anxiety before fighting during his latest appearance on his podcast 'The Bromalley Show' last Tuesday (2).

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Reflecting on the psychological process involved in preparing for a fight in the world's biggest MMA event, Suga revealed how the stress behind a training camp causes him to experience episodes of anxiety.

“I know I’m going to have to go through the pre-season training period again. I know I’m going to have to lose weight again. I know I’m going to fight. I’m feeling anxious even now, I’m not in a camp, I don’t have anything scheduled, I can relax. There’s still a bit of ‘We’re going to have to do this again.’ Even though I’m the most laid-back and relaxed person, my body still knows how brutal these fight training camps are,” the athlete confessed.

😣 Sean O'Malley talks about permanent anxiety of being a fighter:

"I know I'm gonna have to go through the fight camp again. I know I'm gonna have to cut weight again. I know I'm gonna fight."

Even anxiety I have right now, I'm not in camp, I have nothing booked, I can chill.… pic.twitter.com/AuqCNanJcK

— Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) February 4, 2026

Sean O'Malley went through a difficult period in the UFC.

Sean O'Malley won the bantamweight title at UFC 292 (Photo: Instagram/UFC)

After knocking out Aljamain Sterling and becoming bantamweight champion (up to 61,2 kg) at UFC 292 , the future looked bright for O'Malley's career, especially after his first successful title defense against Marlon Vera . However, the American went through some tough times, being defeated by Merab Dvalishvili on two occasions and undergoing delicate hip surgery.

Despite this difficult period, he returned to the win column at UFC 324 by defeating Song Yadong via unanimous decision. With Petr Yan winning the title , it's possible to imagine that Suga will have another opportunity to rise to the top of the division.

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