Pedro Munhoz on Aljamain Sterling vs. TJ Dillashaw, Sean O’Malley ranking, plus more

Pedro Munhoz on Aljamain Sterling, TJ Dillashaw, Sean O’Malley, and more bantamweight talking points.

COCONUT CREEK, FL — Shortly after UFC 280, FanSided caught up with No. 9 ranked bantamweight Pedro Munhoz. The UFC title contender had some thoughts about TJ Dillashaw fighting injured, Aljamain Sterling remaining champion, Sean O’Malley vs. Petr Yan judging, and O’Malley’s rise from No. 11 to No. 1 contender in the UFC overnight.

Fresh from sparring at American Top Team, Munhoz talks candidly about the division he fights in and how he sees some of the biggest talking points in 135 pounds from an insider perspective.

Pedro Munhoz thought Petr Yan did enough to beat Sean O’Malley, but only ‘slightly’

“That was definitely a close fight,” Munhoz told FanSided when asked who he scored the fight for. “When I watched the fight I thought immediately that Petr won, like slightly had a victory, but I also can see why the judges gave that to Sean O’Malley.”

“[O’Malley] was not the one that did more damage, but I believe that he did score more significant strikes. Petr Yan has, you know, kind of the pressure more, kind of the wrestling, takedowns, and all that,” Munhoz said. “But I was a little surprised when I saw Sean O’Malley shoot for a takedown and was successful. Got Petr’s back. It was definitely a close fight.”

Pedro Munhoz says Sean O’Malley being ranked No. 1 is ‘exciting’ for the bantamweight division

After his win, O’Malley rose from No. 11 to No. 1 contender in the division, but not everyone was happy about the rise.

Munhoz isn’t one of those people.

“Now he’s number one. He gets his [fight] for the title,” Munhoz said. “It’s super exciting for the bantamweight division, you know, having an upcoming fighter, a star I’d say [with] a lot of followers, seems like he’s got a lot of fans out there. I guess he’s doing the marketing very well, the way they sell the cars and the colored hair. I guess I came from a generation before.”

Pedro Munhoz thinks it was ‘brave’ of TJ Dillashaw to fight injured

During the fight with Sterling, it was revealed that Dillashaw had an injury that vastly prevented him from performing at a high-level. That injury, a shoulder dislocation, eventually stopped the fight in the second round. Many were upset that Dillashaw took the fight with such a debilitating injury and Dillashaw even apologized for holding up the division.

“It was very brave of him,” Munhoz said. “You know, going into the fight with that injury. I feel like it’s unfortunate that something like that happened at training camp. I fought with my foot broken and it was the same thing … at the end of the day, it has to be whatever decision that the fighter [thinks] makes most sense, and if the decision was going and getting a fight, so be it.”

Pedro Munhoz thinks Aljamain Sterling deserves respect

Fans are often critical of Sterling, stemming from his controversial first fight with Yan and now another controversial win. But Munhoz believes the fans need to show him the respect he deserves.

“Yeah, he beat Petr Yan in his last fight before TJ. Just it for itself, it shows that the man is good and is very strategic and very smart and a good fighter,” Munhoz said.

The next steps for Pedro Munhoz

Munoz updated FanSided on his journey back to the Octagon following a devastating eye poke in July.

“Right now [I’m] just here in the gym, getting ready, training,” he said. “I’m trying to always learn, be a better fighter. Some way, like feel ready for a good opportunity present right now. I guess right now, at this point in my career before I used to fight anyone, like two to three times, four times a year won’t be but now I see that between fights I like to take more time to recover, to go back to train and then to have, a just, like a good time. Two months to [get] prepared to fight. So with that, right now I’m just training, helping my training partners getting ready for the fights and also trying to learn every day and looking to be out there March of [next] year.”