Sean O’Malley says Pedro Munhoz was ‘100 percent’ looking for a way out

Bantamweights Sean O’Malley and Pedro Munhoz kicked off the UFC 276 main card on Saturday in a fight that ended in a no contest due to an accidental eye poke.

Just over halfway through the second frame, O’Malley tried to push Munhoz back and inadvertently poked him in the eye. Munhoz was unable to continue and the fight was ruled a no contest, but O’Malley believes Munhoz essentially quit.

“When it (the eye poke) happened, I was like, okay, it didn’t feel like it was bad. I thought we were going to be fighting in 20 seconds. I didn’t think the fight was going to be stopped,” O’Malley said during the UFC 276 Post-fight Press Conference.

“I was dominating that fight. I checked every one of his leg kicks. I could feel his shins cracking. Every time he would throw a kick I’d check it, and I could tell that it hurt him. I didn’t get hit one time. I was dominating that fight. I was piecing him up. I was finding my range. It sucks,” O’Malley added.

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A doctor was called in to check on Munhoz’ eye. Munhoz indicated that he could not see out of it and the doctor called a halt to the fight.

When questioned whether he felt as if Munhoz was looking for a way out of the fight, O’Malley quickly responded, “100 percent. That’s what’s going on in my mind.”