O'Malley: Sterling fight a 'win-win for me'

UFC bantamweight title challenger Sean O'Malley doesn't see how he can come out of Saturday's highly anticipated fight against Aljamain Sterling a loser.

Sterling, who's scheduled to make his fourth title defense against O'Malley in the UFC 292 main event in Boston, plans to move up to the featherweight division after the fight. Because of that, O'Malley believes he'll be in a good spot, win or lose.

"I go out there, knock (Sterling) out, he moves up to '45, boom, I carry on what he was doing in the division, taking people out," O'Malley said Wednesday at UFC 292 media day. "He goes out there and wins and moves up to '45, I'm the last person to fight for the belt. I'm the champ either way. So I like this situation. It's a win-win for me."

O'Malley earned a title shot by beating former champion Petr Yan in a narrow split decision at UFC 280 last October. The 28-year-old knockout artist is ranked No. 2 in the bantamweight division, just below Sterling and Merab Dvalishvili. He's one of the most popular fighters in the division, gaining acclaim after a breakthrough performance on Dana White's Contender Series in 2017.

Earlier this week, Sterling said there's a "99%" chance this will be his last fight at 135 pounds. He wants to cut less weight and give Dvalishvili, his teammate and friend, a chance at fighting for the title.

Though the result may not matter too much in O'Malley's mind, he still intends to get the job done - either with a highlight-reel knockout or by decision.

"I want to put this dude's lights out," O'Malley said, "but I'm also mentally, physically prepared for 25 minutes. So, me winning a decision, there's possibility to that."