Sean O'Malley claims Ilia Topuria’s brother ignored him at UFC White House

Sean O'Malley claims that Aleksandre Topuria, the UFC bantamweight and elder brother of former lightweight champion Ilia Topuria, refused to acknowledge him backstage at UFC White House.

O'Malley (20–3) defeated Aiemann Zahabi via second-round knockout at the same event where Ilia Topuria (17–1) suffered his first career loss to Justin Gaethje. When O'Malley encountered the Topuria team backstage, he extended courtesies to Ilia's entire entourage, but claims Aleksandre deliberately avoided eye contact and declined to reciprocate the gesture.

"If Ilia's heard me talk about him, he knows I think he is one of the greatest of all time," O'Malley said on Tim Welche's YouTube channel, noting that their prior exchanges have been lighthearted. "I made a couple of short jokes, he's made fun of me, like, 'Ugly tattoo.'... But his brother didn't look at me. I shook all of his team's hands, acknowledged. But his brother did not look at me, wouldn't look at me at all. Doesn't like me." O'Malley suggested the cold shoulder came from Aleksandre alone, not from Ilia himself, indicating any tension may be isolated to the older Topuria brother. Aleksandre (7–1) has won both of his UFC bouts via unanimous decision. Ilia's defeat to Gaethje came via corner stoppage after the fourth round, marking a major upset in the lightweight title picture.