Song Yadong may be heading into UFC 324 with more motivation than usual, but he insists his focus remains strictly on the fight.
The Octagon returns to Las Vegas this Saturday as UFC 324 kicks off a new broadcast era, and the card features several former champions looking to reset their momentum. One of them is Sean O’Malley, who enters the co-main event against Song Yadong after back-to-back losses to Merab Dvalishvili.
Before Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett collide for interim lightweight gold in the main event, O’Malley and Song Yadong will headline the co-main slot. The matchup moved up the card following Kayla Harrison’s withdrawal, which postponed her planned showdown with Amanda Nunes.
Tension between the bantamweights started well before fight week. During a press conference late last year, O’Malley appeared wearing a COVID-style face mask while facing off with Song Yadong, a move the Chinese contender immediately condemned as racist and unnecessary.
The stunt sparked backlash across the MMA community, forcing O’Malley to address the issue during UFC 324 media day on Wednesday.
“My intentions were never harmful,” O’Malley said. “It’s supposed to be a little silly joke. It was that and it got taken out of context.
“I apologize if I offended anybody.”
Song Yadong acknowledged the apology but made it clear he never approved of the approach in the first place.
“I’m OK, but I think don’t bring racism in this sport,” Song said. “Just keep it a sport.“He already regretted it. He did an interview in China and said he was sorry to the fans. He was trying to get inside my head, like a mind game, but I don’t care. I just focus on the fight.”
Song Yadong dismissed the incident as a failed attempt at psychological warfare, stressing that it won’t influence his performance inside the cage.
“I don’t care,” he added. “I just want to win the fight. Focused.”
Saturday’s bout carries major implications for both fighters. O’Malley once looked destined for superstardom after capturing the bantamweight title, but losses to Dvalishvili halted that rise and pushed him out of immediate title contention.
A recent shift in the division reopened the door. Petr Yan reclaimed the bantamweight title with a dominant win over Dvalishvili in December, a result that caught O’Malley’s attention, given his previous victory over Yan.
For Song Yadong, the matchup represents an opportunity to derail a former champion and stake his own claim in the crowded 135-pound title picture. And despite the noise surrounding the buildup, he insists the message is simple.
“I just want to win,” Song Yadong said. “That’s it.”
