Sean O'Malley Insists Relationship With Sean Shelby Is Mended: 'We're Good Now'

Mandatory Credit: Jeff Bottari - Zuffa LLC

UFC bantamweight contender, Sean O'Malley has insisted that he and long-time promotional matchmaker, Sean Shelby have repaired their recently frayed relationship, after O'Malley claimed that the UFC official was "acting like a f*cking tool" in regards to booking his next fight.

O'Malley, undefeated in his last two Octagon walks, is currently targeting a return to action in December at UFC 269 -- off the back of a record-setting third round stoppage victory over promotional newcomer back at UFC 264 in July. 

The Montana native hit the headlines recently off the back of his victory over the Massachusetts newcomer, claiming that the aforenoted, Shelby encouraged him to "hang out with 6ix9ine" after he rejected a proposed UFC 268 pairing with former lightweight champion, Frankie Edgar in November at Madison Square Garden.

Citing his reluctance to cough up a hefty tax bill for competing on the New York card, O'Malley claimed that Shelby was upset as a result, with the promotion, in turn, booking Edgar against the #13 ranked bantamweight challenger, Marlon Vera for the pay-per-view card.

"Sean Shelby was mad at me," O'Malley said on his podcast. "Dude, I don't wanna fight in New York. It's far, the taxes are ridiculous, and Tim (Welch) has no-Gi or no, ADCC trials that weekend. And he told me that before I even potentially had a fight. So, that's his thing, and I'm not gonna say, 'No, I have a fight'. We're doing it, especially when I could fight like a month later in (Las) Vegas. And Sean Shelby was just like, mad and like, 'Fine. Go hang out with 6ix9ine'. Like, just acting like a f*cking tool, dude. So, I don't know if I should've said that or not. But it's like, dude, come on, What do you do?"

"They (the UFC) don't need me," O'Malley said. "But don't treat me like that. Like, act like I'm not training or nothing. 'Go, you're hanging out with 6ix9ine, dude'. Like, I'm hanging out with him once. Well, three days, but, man, don't make it up. Yeah, so it's like, 'Cool, dude, Treat me like a piece of sh*t.' No, it's like, dude, I would rather not deal with him at all and just deal with Dana (White)."

Speaking with The Schmo recently, however, O'Malley claimed that he and Shelby had mended their relationship, after having a conversation at UFC 265 in Houston, Texas earlier this month.

"I said what I said on (the podcast)," O'Malley said. "I got into some trouble. I had a conversation with Sean Shelby a couple days after, in person, in Houston at the fights. We're good now. He didn't like what I said, I didn't like what he said. I feel like I'm in a position now where if you want me to fight in New York and I don't want to fight in New York, I'm not gonna fight in New York. I'm in that position and I had that conversation and we're good now."

O'Malley confirmed that he had been offered a showdown against former lightweight gold holder, Edgar, however, attempted to negotiate a pairing a month later at UFC 269 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, but the organization landed on Vera as an opponent instead.

"I got offered a fight in New York against Frankie (Edgar) and I said if Frankie wants to get whooped he can get whooped in (Las) Vegas in December, a month later," O'Malley explained. "They want Frankie to fight in New York so they gave him 'Chito' (Marlon Vera). Getting the 'Suga Show' against Frankie would've been a great fight for me but I'm not too worried about it."

Prior to his win over Moutinho last month, O'Malley rebounded to the winner's enclosure back in March at UFC 260 -- stopping Thomas Almeida with a brutal third round ground strike.