Sean O'Malley said on the MMA Guru podcast that fighters shouldn't expect to get rich in the UFC, while saying it hurts to feel worth more; he wants the next shot at Petr Yan.
From 2 reports by 2 outlets
What we know
- Petr Yan is the UFC bantamweight champion after beating Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 333.
- O'Malley is a former bantamweight champion and says he should get the next title shot against Yan.
- O'Malley said he is forever grateful to the UFC but doesn't want to fight for just any amount of money.
Reported, not confirmed
- No Yan title defense has been booked; Song or O'Malley is the likely next challenger. MMA-TV database
Sean O'Malley picked an awkward moment to talk about money. He was on the MMA Guru podcast making the case for his own title shot, and the pitch came with a warning for younger fighters: the pay is not what many expect, so don't come in expecting a fortune.
His view is blunt. Fighters coming up know the pay isn't great, he said, and if they still pursue the sport they shouldn't complain too much. In his words, "If your goal is to be in the UFC and become the richest person, it's not gonna happen." He also admitted the other side of it: it does suck to be in a position where you feel you're worth more, but that's just how it is.
The comments land in a year in which fighter pay has been a running argument in MMA. O'Malley wasn't really joining the complaints, but he didn't wave them off either. He said the UFC changed his life, that he'd never have made this much money doing anything else, and that he is forever grateful for the platform. Then he added the limit: there comes a point where he wants to fight but not for that amount of money, and that becomes an issue.
The pay talk is tied to his own situation. O'Malley, 32, is a former bantamweight champion who wants his belt back, and the champion's better pay is part of the appeal. The belt now belongs to Petr Yan, who beat Merab Dvalishvili by unanimous decision, 48-47 on all cards, at UFC 333 in Abu Dhabi. Dvalishvili has said he will return to bantamweight in 2027.
Nothing is booked for Yan. Our earlier coverage of UFC 333 has Song or O'Malley as the likely next challenger, so O'Malley's public push fits a title picture that is still open. What to watch: whether the UFC announces Yan's next defense, and whether O'Malley's willingness to say what he's worth turns into a negotiation over that fight.
His view is blunt. Fighters coming up know the pay isn't great, he said, and if they still pursue the sport they shouldn't complain too much. In his words, "If your goal is to be in the UFC and become the richest person, it's not gonna happen." He also admitted the other side of it: it does suck to be in a position where you feel you're worth more, but that's just how it is.
The comments land in a year in which fighter pay has been a running argument in MMA. O'Malley wasn't really joining the complaints, but he didn't wave them off either. He said the UFC changed his life, that he'd never have made this much money doing anything else, and that he is forever grateful for the platform. Then he added the limit: there comes a point where he wants to fight but not for that amount of money, and that becomes an issue.
The pay talk is tied to his own situation. O'Malley, 32, is a former bantamweight champion who wants his belt back, and the champion's better pay is part of the appeal. The belt now belongs to Petr Yan, who beat Merab Dvalishvili by unanimous decision, 48-47 on all cards, at UFC 333 in Abu Dhabi. Dvalishvili has said he will return to bantamweight in 2027.
Nothing is booked for Yan. Our earlier coverage of UFC 333 has Song or O'Malley as the likely next challenger, so O'Malley's public push fits a title picture that is still open. What to watch: whether the UFC announces Yan's next defense, and whether O'Malley's willingness to say what he's worth turns into a negotiation over that fight.
- Summary
- Sean O'Malley said on the MMA Guru podcast that fighters shouldn't expect to get rich in the UFC, while saying it hurts to feel worth more; he wants the next shot at Petr Yan.
- Key points (one per line)
- O'Malley said anyone whose goal is to get rich in the UFC won't, and shouldn't complain too much about pay.
He said the UFC changed his life, but there comes a point where he doesn't want to fight for a given amount.
He made the case on MMA Guru for the next bantamweight title shot against champion Petr Yan.
- Also reported by (Name | URL per line)
- MMA Mania | https://www.mmamania.com/ufc-news/482165/sean-omalley-says-dont-come-to-ufc-to-get-rich-its-not-gonna-happen
Knockout Daily | https://knockoutdaily.com/news/sean-omalley-kills-the-ufc-payday-dream-in-the-middle-of-stricklands-pay-dispute
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Fighters in this story
Sean O'Malley
Sean Strickland
Merab Dvalishvili
Petr Yan
Song Yadong
Tommy McMillenSources
MMA Mania
Knockout DailySummarized with AI from the sources above. Read the originals for the full story.
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