Sean O'Malley's Coach Calls Out Daniel Cormier for Pushing Song Yadong Next
Sean O’Malley’s coach Tim Welch criticized Daniel Cormier for advocating for Song Yadong to receive the next UFC bantamweight title shot against Petr Yan.
UFC 333 in Abu Dhabi delivered an impactful co-main event featuring a defining championship bout where Petr Yan retained his UFC bantamweight title by defeating Merab Dvalishvili via unanimous decision (48-47 on all three scorecards).
With "No Mercy" closing out the trilogy to secure a 2-1 lead, Saturday night's conversation immediately shifted to who the bantamweight champion will face next. Waiting in the wings are No. 2-ranked Song Yadong and No. 3-ranked Sean O'Malley.
While Dana White is not yet sure who will check all the matchmakers' boxes, O'Malley’s coach believes Daniel Cormier is actively pushing for Yadong to get the next shot at Yan.
Tim Welch Criticizes Daniel Cormier for Yadong Comment After Yan Win
“Suga” holds a significant advantage in the bantamweight contender conversation due to his history with the division's top elite. O'Malley previously defeated Petr Yan by a razor-thin split decision at UFC 280. But the result was bit controversial that left fans demanding for a high-profile rematch ever since.
Adding to his resume, O’Malley secured a clear unanimous decision victory over Song Yadong with matching 29-28 scorecards at UFC 324. Because of these victories, "Suga" remains a logical choice to challenge for the title next unless the promotion decides to arrange an entirely new contender matchup.
However, minutes after the bantamweight title fight ended, color commentator Cormier ignited a debate on the broadcast by naming Song Yadong as the true number-one contender, according to MMA Fighting. Sean O'Malley's coach, Tim Welch, took serious issue with the former two-division champion's promotional stance.
Welch called out the analyst, stating that Cormier should not have put Yadong ahead of a fighter who already beat him. He also speculated about Cormier's motives.
"I don't know why DC went in there and said, 'Hey, Song Yadong, you're next,' even though Sean beat him about six months ago. I don't know if he's always had it out for Sean, but there's always been a little something. He makes these little comments. Maybe he doesn't like the tattoos, or he doesn't like that Sean didn't wrestle in the past," Welch said.
Surprisingly, Yan seems to prefer fighting Yadong next over O’Malley.
Petr Yan Mentions Song Yadong After Successful Title Defense
After his victory, Petr Yan stated he would fight anyone the UFC selects, though he specifically mentioned Song Yadong during his post-fight cage interview.
Talking to color commentator Daniel Cormier, Yan said, “Listen to me, brother: I’m the champion of this organization; I do not pick fights. This organization puts the next contender in front of me, and I’m ready to fight with any of them. Give me Song Yadong, give me King Kong! Give me anybody! Just make the weight and I will take you down!”
Past results make Yadong a familiar matchup for the champion, as Yan previously defeated him via unanimous decision at UFC 299. However, Yadong has improved significantly since that loss, most notably knocking out the previously unbeaten Umar Nurmagomedov in the second round of their August clash. According to White, matchmakers are currently weighing both Yadong and Sean O'Malley for the next title shot.
