UFC 269: Sean O’Malley, Cody Garbrandt separated after impromptu press conference face-off

Sean O’Malley and Cody Garbrandt aren’t fighting each other at UFC 269, but that didn’t stop the pair from squaring off at the event’s pre-fight press conference on Thursday.

Both fighters are slated to compete on the event’s main card on Saturday in Las Vegas. “Suga” O’Malley (14-1), one of the hottest contenders at bantamweight, will look to take another step toward his division’s championship when he takes on Brazil’s Raulian Paiva. “No Love” Garbrandt (12-4), a former bantamweight champion, will make his debut in the flyweight division at the event, taking on New Zealand’s Kai Kara-France.

Despite their imminent challenges, the two fighters were focused primarily on one another at the UFC 269 pre-fight press conference, and very nearly got physical after an impromptu face-off.

“Dana, can me and Cody square up for the future?” O’Malley, 27, asked UFC President Dana White, who was forced to spring into action when the two fighters left their seats and marched toward each other.

O’Malley and Garbrandt were heated rivals for much of their overlapping time in the bantamweight division, but never met in the Octagon. Initially, it looked like Garbrandt’s drop down to flyweight would put an end to that rivalry, but it seems the two stars have plenty of lingering animosity.

“I think this guy’s a joke,” Garbrandt, 30, said when asked about O’Malley. “He understands when he jumps up in competition, his hype goes away. He’ll get his a** beat, straight up.”