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Viral Video Shows Sean O’Malley’s Coach Tricking Aljo Sterling Into Getting TKO During Their UFC 292 Fight
Watch how a cunning strategy by Sean O'Malley's corner led to a knockout at UFC 292. Join the debate and share your views!
Did you catch the drama at UFC 292 last August in Boston? In a moment that's gone viral, Sean O'Malley's coach, Tim Welch, pulled a fast one during the bantamweight title fight. As Aljamain Sterling, the defending champ, squared off against O'Malley, Welch shouted, pretending to be Sterling's coach.
The result? Sterling stepped forward right into O'Malley's knockout punch. How fair is it to use such mind games in the cage? Is this part of the sport, or over the line?
How one shout changed the fight
In the heat of the battle, with the championship on the line, Tim Welch made a move that would echo through the MMA world. As Sterling cautiously circled O'Malley, Welch, positioned just outside the octagon, blurted out, "Aljo, you gotta go!"—a directive that sounded convincingly like something Sterling’s own coach might yell. Caught in the heat of the moment, Sterling advanced, playing right into O'Malley’s strategy.
Almost immediately after Welch’s shout, O'Malley unleashed a precise right hand that caught Sterling off-guard, sending him tumbling to the mat. What followed was a swift flurry of ground-and-pound strikes by O'Malley, sealing the deal and the title with a knockout. The crowd erupted as the ref waved off the fight, marking a dramatic turn in what had been a highly anticipated matchup.
Sterling even called out Tim for his behavior on twitter.
Sterling Fumes after deceptive shout
Following the viral uproar, Aljamain Sterling took to Twitter to express his frustration directly at Tim Welch. In a fiery post, Sterling rebuked, "Cap. You talked hella sh*t during my fight with Sean. The ref had to tell you to stfu multiple times. I wanted to slap you in between rounds and I regret not taking the fine for that."
His discontent didn't stop there; Sterling criticized Welch's conduct, noting, "You should know better as a former fighter and a current coach." He also called out Welch's continuous provocations towards his teammate, saying, "You constantly talk sh*t about Merab. Let Sean talk sh*t, you don’t need to be chiming in on the sh*t talk unless you want the problems as well. It’s that simple bro."
This bold call-out highlighted the tension and added another layer to the unfolding drama. So, what do you think? Was Tim Welch’s maneuver a masterstroke of mental warfare, or did it cross the line into unsportsmanlike behavior?
