Sean O'Malley refuses to count Song Yadong out against Umar Nurmagomedov
The former UFC champion believes Yadong is a dangerous opponent for anyone after recently rewatching his own fight against the Chinese contender.
Sean O'Malley is keeping a close eye on the bantamweight division ahead of UFC Shanghai. The former UFC champion has weighed in on Saturday's matchup between Umar Nurmagomedov and Song Yadong, acknowledging Nurmagomedov's status as one of the division's top contenders while warning against overlooking the dangerous Chinese fighter.
Sean O'Malley Warns Against Overlooking Song Yadong
O'Malley knows firsthand what Yadong can bring to the Octagon. The former champion faced the Chinese fighter in January, earning a unanimous decision victory in a performance he was initially critical of. After recently watching the bout again, however, O'Malley said he came away more satisfied with his performance and reiterated how dangerous Yadong can be.
"Umar's got a big fight. He's fighting Song Yadong who is a very, very dangerous opponent for anybody," O'Malley told UFC on Paramount+. "I actually recently watched my fight back with Song, and I was very happy with how it played out. I was pretty critical right after. [...] But looking back on that fight, I showed up, I was very focused, I did what I needed to do against a very dangerous opponent and I'm not counting Song out of the Umar fight."
Sean O'Malley Sees Interesting Scenarios at 135
Regardless of who wins in Shanghai, O'Malley believes the result could make the bantamweight title picture even more intriguing. A victory for Nurmagomedov would further establish him as a contender, while a win for Yadong would create an equally interesting scenario.
"If Umar goes out there and gets through Song, it makes the division even more interesting. Even Song getting a big win, it's interesting."
Coming off a victory over Aiemann Zahabi in June, O'Malley's attention is now on the matchup between two of the bantamweight division's leading contenders. With both Nurmagomedov and Yadong having a chance to strengthen their position at UFC Shanghai, Saturday's result could have a significant impact on the title picture.
