Sean O’Malley is in no rush to book his next fight if it means getting another chance to face UFC bantamweight champion Petr Yan.
Fresh off a second-round stoppage of Aiemann Zahabi at UFC White House, O’Malley believes a rematch with Yan is the fight that makes the most sense. Even if it means waiting while Yan completes his trilogy with Merab Dvalishvili.
O’Malley willing to wait for the champion
O’Malley made it clear to MMA Fighting that his focus remains on the bantamweight title, and he is prepared to stay patient if Yan’s next defense is against Dvalishvili.
“Petr’s the champ.”
“If I don’t get that next, I wait. If Petr beats Merab, me vs. Petr. How do you not make that fight?”
The two first met at UFC 280 in 2022, where O’Malley earned a split decision victory in one of the division’s most debated results. That win led directly to his title opportunity against Aljamain Sterling, where he captured the UFC bantamweight championship.
O’Malley believes Yan rematch would set a new standard
While O’Malley says his championship bout against Marlon “Chito” Vera currently stands as the biggest fight in bantamweight history, he believes a second meeting with Yan would surpass it.
“I would love to hear someone’s argument.”
He pointed to the success of his previous title defense before explaining why a Yan rematch would be even bigger.
“I think me vs. Chito is the biggest fight as of now. As far as numbers, gate, that was the biggest bantamweight fight in history. I think me vs. Petr would beat that.”
O’Malley still has to wait till after Dvalishvili rematch
Before any showdown with O’Malley can become reality, Yan is likely headed for a rematch with Merab Dvalishvili. The bantamweight champion has been sidelined since December after undergoing back surgery following his title-winning victory, but all signs point to the long-awaited trilogy taking place before the end of the year.