O'Malley On Leapfrogging Song For Title Shot

Sean O'Malley expects to leapfrog Song Yadong for the next bantamweight title shot despite Yadong's stunning knockout of Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC Shanghai last weekend.

Yadong's finish of the previously unbeaten Nurmagomedov, as MMA Mania first reported, should vault him into the Top 5 at 135 pounds and put him squarely in title contention. The Chinese fighter turned the division upside down with the performance, derailing one of the bantamweight bracket's most hyped prospects.

O'Malley's Path Back To A Title Fight

O'Malley, the former champion, believes he can still cut the line ahead of Yadong under specific circumstances. The Arizona native has been angling for an immediate rematch since losing the belt, and Yadong's surge complicates the matchmaking at the top of the division.

Song is expected to crack the Top 5 when the next rankings update drops. Whether that knockout earned him a direct path to gold or simply put him in the queue behind O'Malley remains the open question as UFC brass weighs its options for the next bantamweight title fight.

Reported via:

• MMA Mania — Sean O’Malley expects to leapfrog red-hot Song Yadong for next UFC title shot — on one condition