O'Malley Insists There Is No Debate: He Is Next for Yan's Bantamweight Crown

Sean O'Malley believes there is no argument left about who should challenge Petr Yan next for the UFC bantamweight title. Speaking after Yan's successful title defence against Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 333 in Abu Dhabi, O'Malley said he refuses to believe anyone else gets the shot. His case is built on a shared history: both he and Yan have beaten Song Yadong, and O'Malley already holds a controversial split-decision win over Yan from their first meeting in 2022. Song was in attendance at UFC 333, and his presence helped fuel a push for his own title shot on the broadcast, but O'Malley dismissed that idea outright. He pointed out that Yan beat Song while O'Malley was defending his own title in Miami, and that he himself has also beaten Song, leaving no doubt in his mind about the pecking order. Had Dvalishvili won the trilogy fight, O'Malley would have faced a much harder path, given that Dvalishvili owns two wins over him. Instead, Yan's victory has put O'Malley in prime position for a rematch, and the former champion says he does not feel he needs to campaign for it. In his words, the fight against Yan is simply happening next.