Sean O’Malley claims Petr Yan was forced to fight him after the Russian allegedly turned down a fight with Marlon Vera.
After an unfortunate last outing at UFC 276 with Pedro Munhoz, O’Malley was eager to get another fight booked as soon as possible to make it up to the fans. Directly going to the matchmakers, the rising bantamweight star got his wish.
The name that was put on the table for O’Malley was former bantamweight champion Yan, who was the only un-booked and highest-ranked opponent at that time.
Sean O’Malley Was Eager to Fight Petr Yan at UFC 280
“He was the only guy [available],” O’Malley said at UFC 280 media day. “After that Pedro Munhoz fight, I went back to the UFC and said I want to book a fight. Obviously that one wasn’t a satisfying victory. Petr was literally the only guy in the top 10 without a fight.”
Yan will suggest he choose this matchup, but O’Malley will tell you differently and claims the UFC “bullied” the Russian into taking the fight having turned down previous opponents.
“Petr turned down ‘Chito’ [Marlon Vera], so don’t think he really had an option,” O’Malley said. “I think the UFC went to him and said, ‘Hey, you can’t keep turning these guys down … you have to fight the ‘Suga Show.’
“I know he was saying he picked that fight, and I don’t believe that. He got bullied into it.”
Saturday’s bantamweight banger against Yan is undoubtedly O’Malley’s most challenging test of his career. It will allow fans to see where “Sugar” is really at among the division’s top half.
A win at UFC 280 sends the Dana White’s Contender Series veteran’s stock to the moon, and a statement, well, a star is born. UFC President Dana White revealed the winner of O’Malley and Yan will face the winner of Aljamain Sterling or TJ Dillashaw next for the bantamweight title.
O’Malley wasn’t surprised at White’s comment and anticipated he would be next to challenge for the title if victorious over Yan in Abu Dhabi.
Biggest Draw in the company?
“I’m the biggest draw in the bantamweight division,” O’Malley proclaimed. “One of the biggest draws in the UFC. I go out there and beat the No. 1 guy, like, who else would I fight other than for the title? So I kind of already knew that. Hearing it confirmed from [UFC President] Dana [White], I already knew that basically. It didn’t really do much.
“But yeah, I think this is a massive fight. It’s obviously not a main event, but it could be a main event. This is a massive fight.”
When the bantamweight star thinks of having fun inside the Octagon, he thinks of one thing, and one thing only. Separating his opponents from unconsciousness. That being said, if his grappling is called upon, O’Malley is prepared to use it.
“When I think about having fun, I think about knocking someone out,” O’Malley said. “I love grappling, it’s my favorite training. Like if I’m going to pick what I’m going to do, I love to go grapple rather than spar or anything but when I think of fighting and putting on performances and entertaining, I think of knocking people out. We’ll see where the fight goes but I’d love to knock him out.” (H/T MMA Fighting)
Do you think Sean O’Malley can get past Petr Yan at UFC 280?
Featured image credits to Embed from Getty Images
