Sean O’Malley has shared his plans for his return to the UFC and his desired opponent.
The former bantamweight champion has been inactive since losing his title fight against Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 306 in September, which took place at the Las Vegas Sphere.
Petr Yan, a former UFC bantamweight champion, has been hinting at the possibility of a match against O’Malley following his recent win over Deiveson Figueiredo at UFC Macau last month.
Having experienced a contentious split decision loss to O’Malley in October 2022, ‘No Mercy’ is eager for a rematch to avenge that defeat at the earliest opportunity.
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### What caused Sean O’Malley’s absence?
O’Malley has revealed that he is scheduled to undergo hip surgery after UFC 306.
The recovery period from this procedure is estimated to sideline him for around nine months, prompting some playful banter from Yan about O’Malley’s extended absence from competition.
“I would lean towards a rematch with Sean O’Malley, but I don’t know what’s going on with him,” Yan quipped during an interview with Ariel Helwani. “He’s out for 9-12 months, so maybe he got pregnant… Interpret that as you will.”
Yan’s humorous comment quickly gained attention on social media, and he jokingly tagged O’Malley in a reposted video, asking, “When is your due date?”
In response, O’Malley adopted a more serious tone, hinting that he might make his comeback in April, potentially for a rematch with Dvalishvili, which could leave Yan without an opponent.
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### The state of the bantamweight title picture
The current situation in the bantamweight division raises uncertainties about who will be the next challenger for Dvalishvili.
Although O’Malley holds the top spot in the division, his recent defeat to Dvalishvili could mean that an immediate rematch is not on the horizon.
Umar Nurmagomedov is next in line in the rankings, but his only notable win against a ranked opponent was Cory Sandhagen, leading many to believe he needs to achieve more before earning a title shot.
Yan is ranked third in the bantamweight rankings. Despite being outclassed by Dvalishvili in March 2023, he believes that with two more wins under his belt, he could fare better in a rematch.
It is worth noting that all other fighters ranked in the bantamweight top seven have suffered defeats in their most recent fights.
UFC President Dana White faces a tough decision ahead, with O’Malley, Nurmagomedov, Yan, and the fans eagerly awaiting his official decision.
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