Sean O’Malley believes Song Yadong should be next in line for a UFC bantamweight title shot if Merab Dvalishvili regains the championship later this year.
Yadong scored the biggest victory of his career Saturday night at UFC Shanghai, knocking out Umar Nurmagomedov in the main event. The win marked a major statement for the Chinese bantamweight and could put him in position for another high-profile matchup.
O’Malley, who has previously shared the Octagon with both Yadong and Dvalishvili, believes a fight between the two would be an intriguing matchup.
Speaking in a video posted to his YouTube channel Sunday, O’Malley pointed to Yadong's impressive run over the past year and said he wants to see him face Dvalishvili.
“It’s been a big year for Song. Fights the Sugar Show in January, loses, comes back, submits Deiveson Figueiredo, and then knocks out Umar Nurmagomedov. Wow,” O’Malley said.
O’Malley previously faced Yadong at UFC 299 in March 2024, earning a decision victory over the Chinese contender. He also fought Dvalishvili for the bantamweight title at UFC 306 in September 2024, losing by unanimous decision.
Despite his history with both fighters, O’Malley believes Yadong presents a particularly difficult challenge for Dvalishvili.
“I want to see Song vs. Merab,” O’Malley said. “I've been saying for a couple years now, before I even fought Merab, I'm like, ‘Song's a problem for Merab.’ If Merab wins the title, Song vs. Merab.”
Dvalishvili is scheduled to face Petr Yan at UFC 333 in October, with the UFC bantamweight championship on the line. Should Dvalishvili defeat Yan and reclaim the title, O’Malley believes Yadong could have a strong case to be his next challenger.
Yadong's knockout of Nurmagomedov significantly strengthened his position in the bantamweight division. After stopping one of the division's most highly regarded contenders, a matchup with the winner of Dvalishvili vs. Yan could be an attractive option for the UFC.
For now, however, Dvalishvili must first get past Yan, while Yadong will wait to see how the title picture develops following his breakthrough victory in Shanghai.
