UFC bantamweight star Sean O’Malley openly questioned whether UFC bantamweight champion Petr Yan truly wants to fight him again.
Yan beat Merab Dvalishvili in their trilogy bout at UFC 333. But in the post-fight interview, UFC commentator Daniel Cormier pointed to Song Yadong being next in line, without a mention of O’Malley from either him or Yan.
That’s even though O’Malley also holds a win over Song from this year, in addition to Yan, and it’s left the former bantamweight champion scratching his head about why Cormier didn’t bring his name up.
So, does Yan want to rematch O’Malley, who previously beat him in 2022? O’Malley doesn’t think so.
Sean O’Malley Wonders if Petr Yan Wants to Fight Him
Speaking on YouTube after the fight, O’Malley openly questioned if Yan wants to fight him again.
“I don’t think Petr Yan lays in bed and shakes and quivers thinking of fighting me. Do I think he loves the idea of fighting me? I don’t know, probably not. I’m a completely different matchup than anybody he fights. He fights guys like Merab, 5’5”. Fights Song, 5’6”. He fights these little guys. Maybe he likes fighting those little guys. I’m big, long, southpaw, orthodox, move a lot. He’s flatfooted. “He knows the problems that I present to him, so I wouldn’t say Petr Yan’s ducking me or scared. I don’t think he’d pick me if he could choose,” O’Malley said (via MMAFighting.com).
“I’m surprised Petr didn’t call me out. I don’t know why. It’s the biggest fight to make and if it’s in his eyes, (expletive), I called ‘Chito’([Vera) out after I won the belt. Give me the easiest (expletive) fight ever—not ever, but I’ll take whoever, but I can pick, I’m champ, I want to fight Chito.”
Sean O’Malley Not Thrilled With Daniel Cormier’s Question to Petr Yan
O’Malley also made it clear that he’s not happy that Cormier suggested to Yan that Song be the next man in line to fight Yan for the belt despite the fact that O’Malley beat him earlier this year at UFC 324.
That remark has O’Malley scratching his head as to why Cormier didn’t throw his name out there instead, knowing that he not only beat Song already, but also Yan, too.
“DC, I don’t know what he’s thinking, he’s asking about Song Yadong. I’m just trying to wrap my head around it. I’m like, ‘OK, maybe he is next.’ Wait, I beat him like six, seven months ago, whatever the (expletive). I don’t know. I’m fighting Petr Yan next. I don’t care, even if they announce Petr vs. Song, I’m still fighting Petr next. That’s just how much I’m fighting Petr next. I don’t know what they’re talking about, it’s got to be me vs. Petr. Song fought Petr on one of my undercards, when I defended the championship title and Petr beat Song. I beat Petr. I beat Song. It’s got to be me vs. Petr in the United States, early Q2, late Q1, book it,” O’Malley said.
Sean O’Malley Questions if Petr Yan Really Wants to Fight Him