Petr Yan's Rematch with Sean O'Malley: 'How Do You Not Make That Fight?'

Sean O'Malley is eager to face Petr Yan in a rematch, and he's willing to wait for it. The two fighters are tied at 1-1, with Yan reclaiming the 135-pound gold in their most recent encounter.

What happened?

In their first fight, O'Malley defeated Yan via split decision in October 2022. The win earned O'Malley a bantamweight title shot against Aljamain Sterling, which he took full advantage of by scoring a second-round TKO to win UFC gold. However, O'Malley lost the championship to Merab Dvalishvili, and his attempt to win it back resulted in a third-round submission defeat.

Why it matters for Petr Yan

A rematch between O'Malley and Yan is inevitable, according to O'Malley. He believes that if Yan defeats Dvalishvili for the second time, he will face O'Malley next. "Petr's the champ," O'Malley said. "If I don't get that next, I wait. If Petr beats Merab, me vs. Petr. How do you not make that fight?" O'Malley has long insisted that a second bout with Yan would be huge for the bantamweight division, and he has since doubled down.

What comes next?

O'Malley has rebounded from his loss to Dvalishvili with a unanimous decision win over Song Yadong and a TKO finish over Aiemann Zahabi in the second stanza. He is confident that a rematch with Yan will be a huge fight for the bantamweight division. "Absolutely [it's the biggest fight in bantamweight history]," O'Malley said. "I would love to hear someone's argument. I think me vs. Chito is the biggest fight as of now. As far as numbers, gate, that was the biggest bantamweight fight in history. I think me vs. Petr would beat that."

O'Malley's willingness to wait for a rematch with Yan is a testament to his confidence in the fight's potential. He believes that a second bout between the two fighters would be a huge event for the bantamweight division, and he is eager to make it happen.

The road to a rematch

The road to a rematch between O'Malley and Yan is likely to go through Dvalishvili, who is currently the UFC Bantamweight Champion. O'Malley is willing to wait for a chance to face Yan again, and he believes that a second bout between the two fighters would be a huge fight for the bantamweight division.

O'Malley's comments on the potential rematch with Yan have sparked interest among fans and pundits alike. The question on everyone's mind is: how do you not make that fight? The answer, according to O'Malley, is simple: you don't.

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