Sean O’Malley is prepared to sit on the sidelines until the UFC 333 bantamweight title fight between Petr Yan and Merab Dvalishvili plays out, with the former champion targeting a rematch against Yan regardless of the trilogy’s outcome.
‘Suga‘ discussed his plans during an interview with The MMA Guru, explaining that he intends to wait until October 24 before deciding his next move. He also made it clear that he wants another opportunity against Yan, even if Yan loses his title to Dvalishvili.
“I’m sitting out till October 24th, I’m gonna see what happens. Even if Petr Yan loses, who knows, maybe I offer him a rematch even if he loses?”
Check out Sean O’Malley’s comments below:
Sean O’Malley Has Rebuilt His Momentum
Sean O’Malley’s decision comes after a difficult stretch against Dvalishvili. The Georgian defeated O’Malley twice, first taking the bantamweight title from him by unanimous decision at UFC 306 before submitting him in their rematch at UFC 316.
Rather than allowing those defeats to derail his career, O’Malley has rebuilt his position in the division. He returned at UFC 324 in January and defeated Song Yadong by unanimous decision before producing a statement performance against Aiemann Zahabi at UFC Freedom 250.
O’Malley stopped Zahabi in the second round, securing his second consecutive victory and putting himself firmly back into the title picture.
The result also restored some of the momentum that had made O’Malley one of the UFC’s biggest stars. His flashy striking, distinctive personality, and willingness to embrace the spotlight have helped him build a following that extends well beyond the traditional MMA audience.
Yan vs. Merab 3 Holds the Key
The situation is now directly tied to UFC 333, where reigning bantamweight champion Petr Yan will defend his title against former champion Merab Dvalishvili in a trilogy bout on October 24 in Abu Dhabi. The rivalry is currently tied at 1-1, with Dvalishvili winning their first meeting before Yan avenged the defeat and reclaimed the championship at UFC 323.
O’Malley already has a victory over ‘No Mercy,’ having edged him by controversial split decision at UFC 280 in 2022. That win proved pivotal in his rise toward the bantamweight championship and remains one of the biggest victories of his career.
If Yan defeats ‘The Machine’ again, O’Malley’s preferred path is straightforward: a rematch with the reigning champion. If Dvalishvili wins, however, O’Malley could still pursue another fight with Yan before considering a fourth meeting with the Georgian.
For now, O’Malley is willing to wait. The outcome of Yan vs. Dvalishvili 3 could determine whether ‘Suga’ gets the rematch he wants or has to take another route back toward UFC gold.
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