Ali Abdelaziz: Sean O'Malley should 'test himself' vs. Frankie Edgar if he wants to be top 5

MMA manager Ali Abdelaziz respects Sean O'Malley but thinks he's been calling out the wrong guys.

LAS VEGAS – MMA manager Ali Abdelaziz respects Sean O'Malley, but he thinks the UFC bantamweight been calling out the wrong guys.

O’Malley (14-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) continued to shine on the big stage when he battered tough newcomer Kris Moutinho on Saturday at UFC 264. After the win, O’Malley proceeded to call out former champions Cody Garbrandt and Dominick Cruz, UFC bantamweight champion Petr Yan, and top contender Rob Font.

But Abdelaziz thinks if O’Malley wants to prove that he can hang with the elite at 135 pounds, he should fight former UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar, who would be willing to fight him even if he’s ranked above him.

How’s that sound :
Frankie Edgar vs Sean O’Malley in MSG

— Ali Abdelaziz (@AliAbdelaziz00) July 11, 2021

“He called everyone out except Frankie Edgar, and I kind of gave him a tip online the week of the fight,” Abdelaziz told MMA Junkie. “I like the kid. He gets a lot of criticism. I think he’s a nice kid. But Frankie is in the top five. If you want to be in the top five to compete with the best, test yourself. Frankie Edgar will fight anybody, any time, anywhere. We know him, we love him, he’s a legend, and you don’t get this many opportunities to fight guys like Frankie Edgar.”

Since moving down to bantamweight, Edgar has gone 1-1, with a win over Pedro Munhoz and a knockout loss to Cory Sandhagen this past February. And with the UFC rumored to return to New York in November, Abdelaziz thinks that’s the perfect card for “The Answer” to make his return.

“I talked to Sean Shelby today, and this is the plan,” Abdelaziz said. “He said he’s gonna try and find somebody to fight him at Madison Square Garden and when Sean says something, it always comes through.”