Sean O’Malley returns to the Octagon later this month with plenty on the line and plenty already on his mind.
The former UFC bantamweight champion meets Song Yadong at UFC 324, a crucial fight as O’Malley looks to halt a two-fight skid. While the matchup is massive on its own, “Suga” admits his preparation doesn’t stop there.
“Honestly, I’m getting ready for Petr still, too,” O’Malley said on his YouTube channel.“I know I can’t look past Song, which I’m not. I’m not taking Song, Song’s f*cking dangerous. He’s dangerous. He’s got power in both hands, he’s fast. I’m preparing for him, but I’m preparing for Petr, too.”
The reason is simple: history. O’Malley holds a split-decision win over Petr Yan from 2022, a result that launched him into his first title opportunity. With Yan now back on the throne, O’Malley believes one strong win puts him right back in the title picture.
“Petr knows,” O’Malley said.“That’s what’s next. I’m going to go out there, take care of Song, and that’s what’s next. It just makes sense. 2026 is about to be lit. I’m going to go out there, take care of Song, take care of Petr, DoingWell is going to blow up. I’m going to retire. This might be the last ‘Suga’ year ever.”
While the retirement talk carried a playful edge, O’Malley didn’t entirely dismiss the idea. He made it clear that his future depends on results, not long-term predictions.
“It’s almost so pointless to predict what I want to do in the next five years, two years, three years,” O’Malley said.
“Take it one fight at a time. If I go out there and lose and lose, I’m done with this sh*t.”
For now, Sean O’Malley’s focus starts with Song Yadong, one of the division’s most dangerous strikers. What comes after depends on how UFC 324 plays out. A win could reopen the door to Petr Yan and another title run. A loss could force “Suga” to rethink everything.
Either way, O’Malley is walking into this next chapter fully aware of what’s at stake and ready to let the fight decide the rest.
