O’Malley Wants Petr Yan Next, Says No Fight Is Bigger at Bantamweight
Former UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley says he is willing to wait for another title shot if reigning champion Petr Yan first completes his trilogy with Merab Dvalishvili.
O’Malley boosted his championship hopes with a second-round stoppage victory over Aiemann Zahabi at UFC White House, extending his winning streak to two fights.
Despite being in contention for the title, the American believes Yan should settle his rivalry with Dvalishvili before they meet again.
“If I don’t get the title shot next, I’ll wait. If Petr beats Merab, then it has to be me versus Petr,” O’Malley said.
The two fighters first met at UFC 280 in 2022, where O’Malley earned a controversial split-decision victory that launched him into a title-winning run.
Yan has been sidelined since December after undergoing back surgery, but a trilogy bout against Dvalishvili is expected before the end of the year.
If the champion comes through victorious, O’Malley hopes to be next in line for the UFC bantamweight title.
