Nothing is booked for Petr Yan: the UFC is weighing O'Malley and Song, while Cormier admits he forgot O'Malley beat Song and O'Malley says he's next.
From 14 reports by 8 outletsLatest Cormier admits he forgot O'Malley beat Song 3 updates 8 outlets
What we know
- No Yan title defense is booked; the UFC is choosing between O'Malley and Song Yadong.
- O'Malley beat Yan by split decision at UFC 280 in 2022 and beat Song by unanimous decision at UFC 324 this year.
- Cormier said he forgot O'Malley had beaten Song when he pointed to Song, and that the production truck told him in his earpiece to mention Song, who was in the crowd.
- O'Malley's coach Tim Welch accused Cormier of bias on October 26; O'Malley says Cormier later messaged him that he should fight for the title.
Reported, not confirmed
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Dana White said matchmakers texted all night about Song and O'Malley and called picking between them a pleasant problem.
MMAmag.cz
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O'Malley says a fight with Payton Talbott was nearly made had Dvalishvili won, and calls it inevitable; nothing is booked.
BJPenn.com
Sean O'Malley has stopped asking for a title shot and started announcing one. After Petr Yan beat Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 333, Daniel Cormier raised Song Yadong as the champion's next challenger in the cage. O'Malley answered in a YouTube video: he will fight Yan next, and he said that holds even if the UFC books Yan against Song.
The UFC has not committed. According to MMAmag.cz, Dana White said matchmakers texted all night about Song and O'Malley and called choosing between them a pleasant problem. No Yan fight appears on any announced UFC card.
O'Malley's case rests on results. He beat Yan by split decision at UFC 280 in 2022, in a fight many pundits thought was scored wrongly, and he beat Song at UFC 324 in January. He also argues the Yan fight would be different from Yan's others. Yan's recent opponents are around his size, he says, while O'Malley is bigger for the weight. Song has lost to Yan as well, at UFC 299. Song's counter is momentum: he is coming off a knockout of Umar Nurmagomedov.
The Cormier row has cooled. O'Malley's coach, Tim Welch, publicly accused Cormier of bias on October 26. O'Malley then told The Ariel Helwani Show that Cormier messaged him on Instagram to say he should fight for the title, and that the two recorded a cordial podcast. On his own channel, Cormier said he forgot O'Malley had beaten Song, and that the truck in his earpiece told him to mention Song because Song was in the crowd. O'Malley admitted he once felt Cormier wanted to see him lose, but says he no longer does.
If Song gets the call, O'Malley has a fallback. He said a fight with Payton Talbott was almost made had Dvalishvili won, and that he feels it is inevitable they will fight. Nothing is booked there either.
Separately, on the MMA Guru podcast, O'Malley told young fighters that anyone aiming to be the richest person in the UFC won't get there, though he says he is forever grateful to the promotion. Next to watch: whether the UFC picks O'Malley or Song for Yan, and how soon it announces it.
The UFC has not committed. According to MMAmag.cz, Dana White said matchmakers texted all night about Song and O'Malley and called choosing between them a pleasant problem. No Yan fight appears on any announced UFC card.
O'Malley's case rests on results. He beat Yan by split decision at UFC 280 in 2022, in a fight many pundits thought was scored wrongly, and he beat Song at UFC 324 in January. He also argues the Yan fight would be different from Yan's others. Yan's recent opponents are around his size, he says, while O'Malley is bigger for the weight. Song has lost to Yan as well, at UFC 299. Song's counter is momentum: he is coming off a knockout of Umar Nurmagomedov.
The Cormier row has cooled. O'Malley's coach, Tim Welch, publicly accused Cormier of bias on October 26. O'Malley then told The Ariel Helwani Show that Cormier messaged him on Instagram to say he should fight for the title, and that the two recorded a cordial podcast. On his own channel, Cormier said he forgot O'Malley had beaten Song, and that the truck in his earpiece told him to mention Song because Song was in the crowd. O'Malley admitted he once felt Cormier wanted to see him lose, but says he no longer does.
If Song gets the call, O'Malley has a fallback. He said a fight with Payton Talbott was almost made had Dvalishvili won, and that he feels it is inevitable they will fight. Nothing is booked there either.
Separately, on the MMA Guru podcast, O'Malley told young fighters that anyone aiming to be the richest person in the UFC won't get there, though he says he is forever grateful to the promotion. Next to watch: whether the UFC picks O'Malley or Song for Yan, and how soon it announces it.
- Summary
- Nothing is booked for Petr Yan: the UFC is weighing O'Malley and Song, while Cormier admits he forgot O'Malley beat Song and O'Malley says he's next.
- Key points (one per line)
- UFC has not booked Yan's next fight; Dana White says matchmakers are weighing Sean O'Malley and Song Yadong.
Daniel Cormier admitted he forgot O'Malley beat Song when he pointed to Song after UFC 333.
O'Malley says he is a tough stylistic matchup for Yan and calls a Payton Talbott fight inevitable.
- 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
MMAmag.cz | https://www.mmamag.cz/omalley-tlaci-na-odvetu-s-yanem-a-ma-silny-argument/
Combat Sports UK | https://combatsportsuk.com/news/69367f9d-f875-492b-8ecc-8a9178892df2/sean-omalley-daniel-cormier-instagram-message-fight-for-title
Bloody Elbow | https://bloodyelbow.com/2026/10/27/sean-omalley-details-post-ufc-333-daniel-cormier-exchange-having-felt-like-legend-wanted-him-to-lose/
Knockout Daily | https://knockoutdaily.com/news/sean-omalley-says-hes-next-for-petr-yan-and-the-math-is-hard-to-argue-with
MMA Fanatik Slovakia | https://sport.aktuality.sk/mma-fanatik/sean-omalley-posiela-odkaz-bojovnikom-ak-chcete-zarobit-do-ufc-ani-nechodte/
MMA Fanatik Slovakia | https://www.mmafanatik.eu/sean-omalley-posiela-odkaz-bojovnikom-ak-chcete-zarobit-do-ufc-ani-nechodte/
Knockout Daily | https://knockoutdaily.com/news/daniel-cormier-slid-into-sean-omalleys-dms-after-the-ufc-333-title-snub
BJPenn.com | https://www.bjpenn.com/mma-news/sean-omalley/sean-omalley-payton-talbott-inevitable-ufc-333/
BJPenn.com | https://www.bjpenn.com/mma-news/sean-omalley/sean-omalley-coach-push-daniel-cormier-song-yadong-title-shot/
Knockout Daily | https://knockoutdaily.com/news/sean-omalley-calls-payton-talbott-fight-inevitable-and-hints-it-could-be-next
Heavy on UFC | https://heavy.com/sports/ufc/daniel-cormier-sean-omalley-ufc-333/
Bloody Elbow | https://bloodyelbow.com/2026/10/27/sean-omalley-explains-key-reason-he-is-such-a-tough-fight-for-petr-yan-amid-push-for-title-rematch/
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Fighters in this story
Sean O'Malley
Sean Strickland
Petr Yan
Merab Dvalishvili
Song Yadong
Dominick Reyes
Daniel Cormier
Tommy McMillenMore photos
How the story developed
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Cormier admits he forgot O'Malley beat Song
Heavy on UFC
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Cormier messages O'Malley that he should get the title shot
Combat Sports UK
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White says UFC weighing O'Malley and Song for Yan; O'Malley says he's nextMMAmag.cz
Sources
Knockout Daily
Bloody Elbow
MMA Fanatik Slovakia
MMA ManiaSummarized with AI from the sources above. Read the originals for the full story.
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