Former UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley likes the idea of fighting Song Yadong next.
Rumors have been circulating about a potential bantamweight matchup between O’Malley (18-3 MMA, 10-3 UFC) and rising contender Yadong. O’Malley dismissed those claims but is certainly open to the fight.
O’Malley is coming off his second title loss to bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 316, whereas Yadong (22-8-1 MMA, 11-3-1 UFC) defeated Henry Cejudo by controversial technical decision in February. After defeating Cejudo, Yadong targeted O’Malley next.
“Everyone and their grandmother is sending me the screenshots of Song Yadong vs. ‘Suga’ Dec. 6. People are saying, ‘Congrats, when does this fight camp start?,’ all this and that,” O’Malley said on his YouTube channel. “I’m assuming it started because someone sent me when the fights were in China, Song took a picture with Merab and said he’s fighting me next or whatever.
“To be honest, I don’t know what the plan is. There’s nothing official on my side. I haven’t talked to the UFC specifically on who, when, and where. Song seems like a great next opponent, though. I mean, it makes sense. I like the matchup. That seems good.”
O’Malley has mainly competed in Las Vegas throughout his UFC tenure but is willing to fight as soon as two months from now.
“As far as the date goes, December, January, February, f*cking November, I’m ready to go,” O’Malley said. “I do like the matchup. It makes sense. I’m healthy, I’m feeling good, I’ve been training like a motherf*cker, and again, I like that matchup a lot. So, me vs. Song? (If) that’s what’s next, hell yeah.”
