Prior to UFC 248, Sean O’Malley thought a two-year absence would make his return to action feel like his Octagon debut all over again.
The reception he received from the Las Vegas crowd during his first-round TKO win over Jose Quinonez told a much different story. The fans didn’t forget about him — they clearly missed him.
“I don’t think I really lost any hype going into that fight,” O’Malley told MMA Fighting. “It was exciting. I think people feel that certain way when I fight, and I’m excited to get back in there and make them feel that again.