Yan On O'Malley's Title Run After UFC 333

Petr Yan says Sean O'Malley has earned his way back to a title shot.

Yan, who faces Merab Dvalishvili in a trilogy bout at UFC 333 this weekend in Abu Dhabi, told MMA Fighting that O'Malley is on the right track despite their controversial history. The two met at UFC 280 in 2022, with O'Malley taking a disputed decision that launched him into a championship reign Yan believes was built on shaky ground.

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Yan's Path Back To O'Malley Runs Through Dvalishvili

"He's obviously winning. He's doing a great job," Yan said of O'Malley, per MMA Fighting. "He's moving forward and he's definitely proved that he is the next one, or one of the next ones who should be good to fight for the title."

The rematch depends on Saturday's co-main event result. O'Malley has already lost twice to Dvalishvili, meaning a Yan victory is his only route back to gold. If Dvalishvili wins, the title picture shifts toward Song Yadong, who holds losses to both Yan and O'Malley in recent outings.

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O'Malley previously addressed the logjam on YouTube, noting that Song would likely get the shot if Dvalishvili retains, while a Yan win clears the path for a rematch. Mario Bautista and Umar Nurmagomedov remain in the mix as well.

UFC 333 goes down Saturday in Abu Dhabi with the bantamweight contender picture hanging in the balance.

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• MMA Mania — Rematch! Petr Yan insists Sean O’Malley ‘definitely proved he is the next one’ after UFC 333 title defense