Wineland (photo via UFC / YouTube)

By FCF Staff

Eddie Wineland will battle rising bantamweight star Sean O’Malley today at UFC 250. Not surprisingly, he’ll have no issue if he ends up handing “Sugar” his first defeat.,

Heading into today’s fight, O’Malley has gone 11-0 to date and 3-0 in official UFC action. As a result, the 25 year-old is widely considered to be one of the fastest rising commodities at 135 pounds.

While talking to the media recently about today’s match-up, and the stakes, the 35 year-old Wineland (24-13-1) said this (quotes via MMA Junkie).

“It’s a big opportunity for me. It’s a big opportunity for him, also,” Wineland said. “He’s fighting a veteran. I’m fighting a guy who has got a huge name. Even though he’s been in the UFC not that long, he’s got a very big name, very big following. As far as derailing? It is what it is. They set us up to fight. If it derails him, it derails him. I’m sorry, but I’m here to win. I’m not here to lose.”

And when asked about the narrative Wineland has been matched against O’Malley to help build the latter, the rugged vet said this.

“I really don’t care,” Wineland said. “I’ve been doing this for 17 years. I’ve been been doing it since 2003, before it was even the cool thing to do. I started doing this when we were fighting in bars making up our own rules, so I don’t care. I like to fight. That’s why I’m here. That’s why I’m still here.”

Wineland is coming off second round, knockout win over Grigory Popov last June. O’Malley, meanwhile, stopped Jose Alberto Quinonez in March.