Sean O’Malley Says UFC 324 Win Could Earn Petr Yan Title Rematch

Sean O’Malley believes a statement win at UFC 324 could immediately thrust him back into the bantamweight title picture.

Speaking in a video posted to his YouTube channel, the former UFC bantamweight (18-3 MMA, 10-3 UFC) champion said a victory over Song Yadong on January 24 would set up a high-profile showdown with Petr Yan (20-5 MMA, 12-4 UFC), potentially on the historic card set to take place at the White House in 2026.

O’Malley said his mindset shifted after Yan defeated Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 323 recently, reigniting his own motivation as he prepares to face Song.

“I just have a whole new energy,” O’Malley said. “I’m very f***ing excited about this fight. When Petr beat Merab, I got a whole new level of a mental switch. I’m going to go out there and beat Song, and me and Petr are going to fight at the White House. I just don’t see any other fight.”

O’Malley acknowledged skepticism from fans who point to his recent struggles, having lost back-to-back fights following his title reign. However, he believes a dominant performance against Song would quickly change the narrative.

“People right now are like, ‘You’re coming off two losses, we don’t want to see that fight,’” O’Malley said. “Tell me that January 25th. I have to put on a master-class performance. It might be a 15-minute clinic. It might be a KO.”

According to O’Malley, once the dust settles at UFC 324, the appeal of a rematch with Yan will be undeniable, especially given the lack of other marquee options for a potential White House event.

“You don’t even want to see anyone else other than me versus Petr at the f***ing White House,” he said. “And if you don’t want to see that, okay. I won’t fight. I’ll sit down. I’ll just chill. Who else are they going to have?”

O’Malley noted that several of the UFC’s biggest stars may not be available for such a card, further strengthening his belief that a Yan rematch makes sense.

“Pereira is not on the card. Ilia is not going to be on the card. Conor, who knows? Jon Jones supposedly isn’t going to be on the card. Who the f*** are they going to have?”

O’Malley and Yan previously fought in October 2022, with O’Malley earning a controversial split decision victory. A rematch, particularly with title implications and a historic venue attached, would be among the most anticipated bantamweight matchups the UFC could make in 2025.