Sean O’Malley might not be long for the fight game.
The former UFC bantamweight champion is locked in and determined to snap his two-fight losing skid against Song Yadong (22-8-1 MMA, 11-3-1 UFC) at UFC 324 on Jan. 24 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas (Paramount+). He is also a realist, though, and O’Malley (18-3 MMA, 10-3 UFC) knows that, as he gets older, life only gets busier and other opportunities arise.
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“It’s almost so pointless to predict what I want to do in the next five years, two years, three years,” O’Malley said on his YouTube channel. “If I go out there and lose and lose, I’m done with this sh*t. … Ideally, I go out there and take care of Song, and then get that Petr (Yan) fight, and then we’ll just go from there. See what life throws at me.”
Despite his back-to-back losses to former champ Merab Dvalishvili in title fights, O’Malley finds himself in a good position after Yan took the belt from “The Machine” at UFC 323 in December.
O’Malley, 31, holds a controversial split decision win over Yan at UFC 280 in October 2022, and a rematch has been anticipated ever since. O’Malley must hold up his end of the bargain and get an impressive win at UFC 324, and if he does so, he sees a road map to a fairytale close to his career.
“Honestly I’m getting ready for Petr still, too,” O’Malley said. “I know I can’t look past Song, which I’m not. I’m not taking Song – Song’s f*cking dangerous. He’s dangerous. He’s got power in both hands, he’s fast. I’m preparing for him, but I’m preparing for Petr, too.
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“Petr knows. That’s what’s next. I’m going to go out there, take care of Song, and that’s what’s next. It just makes sense. 2026 is about to be lit. I’m going to go out there, take care of Song, take care of Petr, (my new business) DoingWell is going to blow up. I’m going to retire. This might be the last ‘Suga’ year ever.”
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC star Sean O’Malley makes startling admission for 2026 outlook
