Daniel Cormier corrects account as Sean O'Malley is accused of using injury as an excuse for humiliation at UFC 306

The first half of 2024 went well for the former bantamweight champion Sean O’Malleywhen he successfully defended his title for the first time. But as the year drew to a close, his life took a drastic turn, something that “Suga” never expected. During this time, he not only lost his belt and his fame, similar to Conor McGregor's ups and downs, but he also suffered an injury in the lead up to the fight.

Afterwards, O'Malley's coach Tim Welch explained: ““Suga will soon undergo surgery on his hip joint lip,” Welch claims that this was the reason for his protégé's defeat. This statement was later criticized by several health experts, orthopedic surgeons and MMA veterans. The news also caught the attention of former two-weight champion Daniel Cormier, who couldn't resist giving his opinion on Welch's claims.

Daniel Cormier exposes Sean O'Malley

Since the news of Sean O'Malley's hip labrum injury broke, fans have expressed their deep concern for the former champion. However, Daniel Cormier does not share the audience's opinion when it comes to whether the injury is responsible for 'Suga' losing the fight against Merab Dvalishvili at the historic UFC Sphere event. The Hall of Famer discussed the topic with fellow UFC member Chael Sonnen on their ESPN podcast 'Good Guy/Bad Guy.'

Daniel Cormier didn't buy what Sean O'Malley was selling. Why? Because of something he heard from Ben Askren. DC debunked O'Malley's claims about his injury, focusing on Askren's statement, “Ben Askren told me that when he had his hip surgery, they told him he also had a labral tear in his hip, but that was the least of his worries because he had so many other problems.

“From what I understand, the labrum is painful, but not necessarily something that would rule you out of the fight.” Cormier further downplayed the severity of the injury, claiming that while surgery may be necessary, it does not prevent a fighter from competing.

“Good Guy’s” remarks may sound harsh out of context, but they reflect a practical and informed perspective. This sentiment was recently echoed by renowned sports orthopedic surgeon Dr. David Abbasi on his social media, where he further addressed Sean O’Malley’s claim that his injury played a role in his loss at UFC 306.

MMA doctor reveals the truth behind O'Malley's labrum tear

Sean O'Malley's injury forced the former champion to take a break for nearly a year, according to his own account. Recently, this question was posed to UFC boss Dana White as rumors were circulating that “Suga” was injured before his fight at UFC 306, resulting in a performance that did not meet fans' expectations. In response, White refuted these claims during a recent media confrontation.

Dr. David Abbasi then took to social media to raise awareness of the UFC star's injury. Highlighting O'Malley's MRI scan, Dr. Abbasi stated: “The fact that Sean O'Malley has a torn labrum doesn't mean he can't compete at a high level. I've seen very elite MMA fighters in the UFC right now with bad cartilage injuries and meniscus tears fighting for the title. So if you want to find something, all you have to do is get someone to do an MRI. The fact that he competed and wasn't checked by doctors is ridiculous. He was just able to compete and he did well.”

Before the fight, Henry Cejudo claimed he had inside information that O'Malley was not good at taking downs in his camp. Could it have been because of the injury? “Suga” didn't seem like he normally did during the fight. His mobility seemed limited and he didn't kick as often as he usually did. Despite this, he managed to get back on his feet every time he was knocked down, as Cory Sandhagen recently pointed out.

What do you think about Daniel Cormier's claims regarding Sean O'Malley's injury? Do you also believe that 'Suga' lost to Merab Dvalishvili because of his injury, or is this an excuse by 'Suga' and his trainer Tim Welch? Write your opinion below.