O'Malley 'Surprised' Yan Didn't Call Him Out After UFC 333

Sean O'Malley says he is surprised Petr Yan did not call him out after beating Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 333, and he still considers himself the clear next challenger at bantamweight.

Yan took a unanimous decision over Dvalishvili, 48-47 on all three cards, in the UFC 333 main event. O'Malley holds a win over Yan, and Dvalishvili has beaten O'Malley twice, so the result lined up well for O'Malley's case to get the next crack at the title. Instead, color commentator Daniel Cormier floated Song Yadong as a potential next opponent for Yan during the broadcast, and Yadong was shown sitting cageside in Abu Dhabi.

"I'm fighting Petr Yan next, I don't care," O'Malley said on his stream. "It's gonna be the greatest, biggest bantamweight fight in UFC history."

O'Malley pushed back on the idea that Yadong deserves the nod over him. "I beat him like six months ago," he said, pointing out that Yadong was flown to Abu Dhabi for the card, which O'Malley took as a sign the promotion was already hedging toward a Yadong booking in case Dvalishvili won. "I had shit I gotta do. I'm in Florida, I'm at a PrizePicks event, I couldn't make it," he said of his own absence from the arena.

Why Didn't Yan Call Out O'Malley?

Petr Yan did not call out Sean O'Malley in his UFC 333 post-fight comments, which caught O'Malley off guard given the history between them. "I'm surprised Petr didn't call me out. I don't know why. It's the biggest fight to make," O'Malley said, contrasting it with his own habit of calling out opponents immediately after wins, like he did with Marlon Vera. He added that if he could pick his own next fight outside of Yan, he would want Vera again.

UFC CEO Dana White did not hand O'Malley the title shot either when asked at the UFC 333 post-fight press conference. "Me and the matchmakers were texting the entire night about Song Yadong and O'Malley," White said. "Both are obviously great options and it's a good problem to have to figure out which one of those two could be next."

The Case For and Against O'Malley as No. 1 Contender

Sean O'Malley holds wins over both Petr Yan and Song Yadong, which is the strongest card he can play for a title shot. But activity and recent form cut the other way. Yadong has strung together back to back main event wins over Deiveson Figueiredo and Umar Nurmagomedov since O'Malley beat him, while O'Malley's lone win since losing the belt to Dvalishvili came against Aiemann Zahabi in June, a result that looks thinner next to Yadong's resume.

Betting Angle

Until the UFC names Yan's next opponent, there is no live betting line to react to, but the market logic favors O'Malley getting priced as the more attractive favorite if he lands the fight given his finish over Yan and his drawing power. Yadong, as the more live underdog narrative with momentum and consecutive ranked wins, would likely shape up as live betting value if that matchup gets made instead. Bettors should watch for White's final call before UFC 333 odds settle on either scenario.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is Sean O'Malley surprised Petr Yan didn't call him out after UFC 333?

Sean O'Malley expected Petr Yan to call him out as the next bantamweight title challenger after Yan beat Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 333, especially since O'Malley holds a win over Yan, but Yan did not mention him afterward.

Who is next in line for a UFC bantamweight title shot after UFC 333?

Dana White said he and UFC matchmakers were weighing both Sean O'Malley and Song Yadong as options to face Petr Yan next, and no official decision had been made after UFC 333.

What is Sean O'Malley's record against Petr Yan and Song Yadong?

Sean O'Malley has beaten both Petr Yan and Song Yadong in the past, though Yadong has since strung together wins over Deiveson Figueiredo and Umar Nurmagomedov.