Sean O’Malley emerged as a significant winner from UFC 323 despite not competing. He was present at T-Mobile Arena to witness two of his former rivals clash for the UFC bantamweight title he once held. After losing the title to Merab Dvalishvili in 2024, Dvalishvili made history by defending his belt multiple times. However, at UFC 323, Petr Yan defeated Dvalishvili in a dominant five-round performance, halting any hopes of Dvalishvili regaining the championship.
There is much speculation that the next big fight could be a trilogy between Yan and Dvalishvili, but O’Malley indicated he might have a say in the title picture. In a recent interview during Fight Week leading up to UFC 324, O’Malley emphasized the importance of not underestimating Yan. He suggested that if he performs well in his upcoming fight in January 2026, a highly-anticipated rematch between him and Yan could be on the horizon. Notably, O’Malley previously won a controversial split decision over Yan at UFC 280 in 2022.
Besides O’Malley, Umar Nurmagomedov is also eyeing a title shot and will be fighting Deiveson Figueiredo at UFC 324. Nurmagomedov, who lost to Dvalishvili earlier in the year, earned a win against Mario Bautista and expressed his readiness for a title challenge. The bantamweight division is heating up with these fighters vying for championship opportunities.
Fan Take: This development is thrilling for fight fans as it sets the stage for intense, high-stakes matchups in the bantamweight division. The potential O’Malley vs. Yan rematch could become one of the most exciting rivalries, pushing the sport to new competitive heights and fan engagement.
