Sean ‘Suga’ O’Malley: Meet the UFC champion who is ‘just so sweet to watch’

Sean O’Malley takes a hit of a bong, kicks it away before punching the pads held by a trainer who is sitting on the back of a moped driving away from him.

Three men sit on a sofa. The one on the right warbles on a flute, the middle strums a guitar and the one on the left slowly taps away on a tambourine. As one commentor on the video puts it: “I’d love to show this to someone and tell them to guess who the UFC 135lbs champ is.” The commentor is right. Sean O’Malley, sitting on the left with the tambourine, is one of the most talented fighters in the world and has one of the most colorful personalities – and hairstyles – in the UFC. Known for his creative social media output and seismic success in the Octagon, O’Malley has quickly become a fan favorite and UFC champion. Not only does his unique look help him stand out – face tattoos and a vivid hairstyle are part of the 29-year-old’s unique image – but also his nickname: “Suga.” The nickname was given to him by his first coach, Johnny Aho, back in his hometown Helena, Montana, because O’Malley was “just so sweet to watch.” O’Malley describes his fighting style to CNN Sport as being “beautiful, violent, but not a violent act.”