Sean O’Malley warns UFC they’re set to risk losing the ‘biggest fight in bantamweight history’

Petr Yan is anticipated to face Merab Dvalishvili next, but Sean O’Malley sees that as a potentially costly move for the UFC.

Fans are still awaiting confirmation of the Russian’s first UFC bantamweight title defense, because it has now been over six months since he returned to the throne.

Yan defeated Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 323 in an enormous upset last December. In doing so, ‘No Mercy’ became a two-time champion at 135 kilos and avenged his one-sided loss to the Georgian two years prior.

With their rivalry now level at one win apiece, a trilogy is prone to come next. ‘Suga’, nonetheless, thinks the UFC can be smart to change that course and book a special rematch.

What more does Sean O’Malley must do to get a rematch with Petr Yan?

‘Suga’ ended Aiemann Zahabi’s 7-fight win streak at UFC Freedom 250.

Sean O’Malley thinks his Petr Yan rematch can be the ‘biggest fight’ in UFC bantamweight history

Before Dvalishvili was unseated by Yan, he had accrued a formidable string of wins contained in the Octagon that included two triumphs over O’Malley.

Since being submitted by ‘The Machine’ in June 2025, ‘Suga’ has been attempting to work his way back to a different title shot.

Most recently, O’Malley knocked out Aiemann Zahabi on the White House to make it back-to-back victories in 2026, having also outpointed Song Yadong in January.

The Montana native seemingly has more work to do before securing a rematch with Yan, whom he beat back in 2022. But the previous champion thinks the UFC would profit from booking that fight now quite than ‘risk’ losing what he sees because the division’s biggest matchup of all time.

“In the event that they want me vs. Petr next — I do think me vs. Petr Yan 2, rematch is the largest fight in bantamweight history,” O’Malley said during an appearance on the Pound 4 Pound podcast.

“I believe it’s the largest one you might possibly make immediately, and the UFC can be risking (it by) making Merab vs. Petr,” he added.

O’Malley beat Yan at UFC 280, edging out an in depth split decision in Abu Dhabi that caused loads of debate within the MMA community.

‘No Mercy’ has been open to running it back with ‘Suga’ and having his probability for revenge, but he claims the UFC was hesitant to book that fight for the White House card through fear of the American losing.

Meanwhile, Dvalishvili will accept nothing but Yan as his next fight, having enjoyed a legendary reign before the defeat in Las Vegas six months ago.