Petr Yan’s next foe: UFC weighs O’Malley vs Song Yadong
Dana White says the UFC spent the night debating both names, and O’Malley wants the rematch: “I’m fighting Petr Yan next”
Petr Yan kept the UFC bantamweight title on Saturday in Abu Dhabi, and two names are already lined up for him: Sean O’Malley and China’s Song Yadong. At the UFC 333 post-fight press conference, UFC CEO Dana White said the promotion has not decided who will get the next shot.
Yan’s unanimous decision win over Merab Dvalishvili broke the tie in their trilogy and opened the debate about the champion’s next move. After the event, O’Malley jumped in and pushed for the fight.
What Dana White said about Yan’s next challenger
White said he spent the night discussing it with the UFC’s matchmaking team. “Me and the matchmakers were texting the entire night about Song Yadong and O’Malley,” he said.
He sees the uncertainty as a good sign for the promotion. “It’s a good problem to have to figure out which one of those two would be next,” White said.
On Saturday, in his Octagon interview, Yan refused to pick an opponent. Asked about Song Yadong, he said he would take anyone. “Give me Song Yadong, give me King Kong! Give me anybody! Just make the weight, and I will take you down,” the champion said through an interpreter.
O’Malley wants the rematch from UFC 280
O’Malley responded on a livestream after the event. He said he was surprised the champion did not mention him. “I’m surprised Petr didn’t call me out. I don’t know why. It’s the biggest fight to make,” he said.
He also talked as if the rematch were already booked. “I’m fighting Petr Yan next, I don’t care. It’s gonna be the greatest, biggest bantamweight fight in UFC history,” O’Malley said.
The rivalry goes back to October 2022. At UFC 280, also in Abu Dhabi, O’Malley beat Yan by split decision in a result many fans and media members disputed. They have not fought since.
O’Malley fought twice in 2026. In January, at UFC 324, he edged Song Yadong by unanimous decision. In June, at the UFC event at the White House, he stopped Aiemann Zahabi by TKO.
Why Song Yadong has a case for the title shot
Song is on the best run of his career. Since the loss to O’Malley, he has headlined two straight events and finished both opponents.
In May, in Macau, he submitted Brazil’s Deiveson Figueiredo with a guillotine choke at 4:42 of the second round. In August, in Shanghai, he knocked out Umar Nurmagomedov in a major upset.
Song has also met Yan before. In March 2024, at UFC 299, Yan won a unanimous decision. Now 21-5 in MMA, the champion has a win over one contender and a disputed loss to the other.
Yan said fight week that he had Merab figured out, and he delivered. On the same night in Abu Dhabi, Alexander Volkanovski stopped Movsar Evloev to keep the featherweight belt. Now the UFC has to decide who gets to Yan first.
Who deserves the next shot at Petr Yan: Sean O’Malley, who already beat him, or Song Yadong, who is coming off two finishes? Tell us in the comments.
Read more:
- Petr Yan beats Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 333, retains title
- Petr Yan says he has Merab figured out before UFC 333
- Volkanovski stops Evloev at UFC 333, passes Jose Aldo record
