Former bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley holds a win over current titleholder Petr Yan. He also holds a win over top contender Song Yadong.
Yan defended his title in the UFC 333 main event this past weekend, defeating former champion Merab Dvalishvili via unanimous decision in a trilogy bout. O’Malley lobbied to be the one standing across from Yan in Abu Dhabi but knew the trilogy made more sense.
“I knew after Petr and Merab fought in December last year, that was a trilogy in the making. It was, everyone was kind of like, that needs to happen next. Merab defended his belt three times, tried to defend it four times in one year. Merab deserved a title shot. If anybody in the history of the sport deserved a title shot or a rematch after losing the belt, it was Merab,” O’Malley told Daniel Cormier on Cormier’s YouTube channel.
Considering he and the champion having wins of Song, O’Malley believes a rematch between he and Yan will be the next bantamweight title fight. He refuses to think anything else.
“Petr beat Song when I was defending my title in Miami I believe it was. So Petr already beat Song. I already beat Song. I don’t think it’s really a debate or an argument,” he said. “I don’t really feel like I have to push for it or argue for it or, you know, try to do anything crazy for it. Me versus Petr is happening next. It just is. And I refuse to believe otherwise.”
“I think the majority of people want to see this rematch. It was a close fight four years ago. We’re both in our prime. It’s just time,” O’Malley said.
