Former UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley doesn’t seem focused on his next title fight just yet.
At UFC 324 a few weeks back, O’Malley returned to winning form with a unanimous decision victory over Song Yadong. This was a crucial win for “Suga,” as it ended his two-fight losing streak against Merab Dvalishvili, and he had admitted that a loss might have led him to retire. Fans have been hoping for a potential fight between O’Malley and Cory Sandhagen, but the UFC appears to be considering other options.
Although O’Malley has publicly called for a rematch with current champion Petr Yan at the UFC White House event, another matchup seems to be in the works. In the bantamweight rankings, only two fighters sit above O’Malley: Dvalishvili, who might get another shot against Yan, and Russian Umar Nurmagomedov, who has won his last two fights since losing to Yan. Nurmagomedov’s manager revealed that the UFC is interested in setting up a bout between O’Malley and the 30-year-old Nurmagomedov. “All teams are interested in this fight; we want to face Sean O’Malley. O’Malley is reportedly not opposed and isn’t avoiding the fight. It makes sense logically, but there’s no official confirmation, dates, or signed contracts yet. Still, this fight is likely to happen,” the manager told Sport24.
Despite Nurmagomedov’s recent victories, he will probably need at least one more win to secure a title shot, as his fighting style is not widely embraced by fans. Although a fight against O’Malley would be logical for the division, Nurmagomedov himself is skeptical that O’Malley would accept it. “I’m ready to fight anyone, anytime, anywhere. If there’s a rematch between Merab and Petr, I’d really like to face Sean O’Malley,” Umar told Gorilla Fighting. “It’s hard to believe Sean would say yes or that UFC would make this fight happen. If Petr wins the rematch, the next contender will be Sean, but if Merab wins, then it’ll be me next. Sean has fought Petr twice already.”
Fan Take: This development is exciting for fight fans because it signals potential fresh matchups that shake up the bantamweight division’s hierarchy. A clash between O’Malley and Nurmagomedov could showcase evolving styles and set the stage for new rivalries, keeping the sport dynamic and unpredictable.
