As the two event headliners faced off, the bantamweight champion and his challenger immediately began spewing heated words towards each other, with Sterling warning that his opponent doesn't have the fight game to compete with him, while adding that he's going to fold him with his wrestling. To that, O'Malley offered his left and right fist, asking the champion which one he wants to finish him.

Even before that exchange, the two were jawing at each other during the press conference.

"He decided to not stay at the fight hotel, he's been ducking me, doesn't want to look me in the eyes, so it is what it is," Sterling said with just Dana White separating he and O'Malley on the dais.

"We got a couple of days and I get to whoop this fraud's ass."

Sterling added: "He's going to get exposed on Saturday night! Exposed! I cannot wait!"

O'Malley warned later: "Every single fight I go into, I'm looking for the knockout but I'm always capable of winning in every single way."

Sterling vs. O'Malley headlines UFC 292 on Saturday night.