Sean O’Malley Sends Message to Petr Yan After UFC 333 Victory: ‘I’m Training in the Rain’
The former UFC bantamweight champion is already preparing for a rematch with Yan as he continues his push for another shot at the 135-pound title.
Sean O’Malley, the former UFC Bantamweight Champion, has made it known he wants a rematch against the new crown jewel of the division, Petr Yan. O’Malley, who has no interest in Yan’s recent celebration after his win over Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 333 on Oct. 24, sent a message to Yan and emphasised his own focus on training instead of celebrating. This demonstrates O’Malley’s intention to reclaim the 135-pound crown.
"Petr Yan! You're out there celebrating your victory. I'm training, in the rain."
O’Malley desperate for Another Shot at Yan
O’Malley wants a rematch with Yan after their first meeting, which took place at UFC 280 and was a split decision that still has fans scratching their heads. Since that fight, O’Malley has won the bantamweight title by beating Aljamain Sterling at UFC 292, while Yan has reclaimed and defended his title against Dvalishvili. Yan has talked about wanting to fight O’Malley again, who is on the rise and also someone Yan knows well, so the timing would be good for a rematch.
Will the UFC make a rematch?
Yan’s dominant win over Dvalishvili put him in line for a possible title defence, but the UFC has not announced who that might be. O’Malley meanwhile has strung together back-to-back wins, most recently with a decision win over Song Yadong and a second-round stoppage of Aiemann Zahabi at UFC Freedom 250 in June, bolstering his case for another title shot.
“That's f*cking anticlimactic. Even if the UFC announces Petr vs. Song, I'm still fighting Petr next.”
For O’Malley, the message is clear: He wants Yan and he’s already preparing for the chance at getting him. Whether that work in the rain yields a rematch will ultimately come down to matchmaking decisions at the UFC.
