UFC 252: Sean O’Malley taken out on stretcher as Marlon ‘Chito’ Vera shuts down the ‘Sugar’ show

O’Malley compromised after suffering early leg injury and could not stand up, with ref stepping in quickly as Vera swarmed him on the ground

‘Sugar’ carried out of the UFC Apex in Las Vegas after suffering first defeat of his career

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Marlon Vera punches Sean O’Malley in their bantamweight bout during UFC 252 at UFC Apex on August 15, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photos: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

Published: 12:22pm, 16 Aug 2020Updated: 9:31am, 17 Aug 2020

Marlon “Chito” Vera derailed the “Sugar” Sean O’Malley hype train after handing the American his first loss in the UFC 252 co-main event by first-round TKO.

O’Malley injured his leg badly early on after rolling his ankle at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, and was clearly compromised. He tried his best to disguise the injury but Vera walked him down and pressured him with shots.

The 25-year-old then stumbled and fell, unable to stand up, and Vera (16-6-1) jumped on top and landed with a big left hand then a big right elbow. Referee Herb Dean stepped in quickly at 4:40, knowing O’Malley (12-1) was injured, with Vera racking up his sixth consecutive win at bantamweight.

“Doubt me now, say I can’t, say I won’t. I dare you. I’m coming for anybody in the top 10, top 15,” Vera said into the camera after having his hand raised, and added that it was the “Chito show” in a dig at his opponent.

“Count me out now. Say something now,” the 27-year-old Ecuadorean added in his post-fight interview with Joe Rogan, after a heated build-up to the bout. O’Malley’s pre-fight mind games – he dyed his hair the colours of the South American country’s national flag – would no doubt have riled up “Chito”, no matter his insistence that it didn’t bother him.

“A lot of people have an opinion, but it doesn’t matter,” Vera added of O’Malley’s injury affecting the outcome. “The sky’s the limit. If you’re going to kick with a kicker, make sure you’re ready to kick.