Petr Yan claims UFC blocked O'Malley title fight at White House

Petr Yan says the UFC passed on booking him against Sean O'Malley at UFC White House because the promotion wanted to protect its former champion from another loss on the big stage.

O'Malley stopped Aiemann Zahabi in the second round at the White House event last weekend and immediately called for a title shot against Yan. But according to Yan, that fight was already on the table — and the UFC chose a different path.

Yan accuses UFC of favorable matchmaking for O'Malley

"The UFC were afraid for you!" Yan wrote on Instagram, per Championship Rounds. "They needed to be sure that you would win in the White House! They didn't want you to get beaten in the White House! I gave my consent! That's why they gave you someone you can at least handle!"

Yan captured the bantamweight title with a dominant decision over Merab Dvalishvili last December and has won four straight. O'Malley, meanwhile, has rebounded from back-to-back losses to Dvalishvili with consecutive wins over Yadong Song and Zahabi.

The two bantamweights met once before, in 2022, when O'Malley edged Yan on a split decision that remains disputed. O'Malley went on to beat Aljamain Sterling for the title but lost it to Dvalishvili and failed to reclaim the belt in a rematch.

No timeline has been announced for Yan's first title defense.

Reported via:

• Sherdog — Petr Yan claims he agreed to fight Sean O’Malley at UFC White House