Sean O’ Malley broke his losing streak and showed that there is still a champion somewhere in him. UFC 324’s co-main event wasn’t supposed to be O’ Malley vs Song Yadong; this bout came into the spotlight only after Kayla Harrison and  Amanda Nunes were scrapped after Kayla’s neck injury. Thrust into the spotlight, the co-main event delivered tension and controversy with equal measures. With unexpected pressure and no clear storyline attached, the bout unfolded in a way that left fans split, and had Chael Sonnen openly questioning what the fight was ever meant to achieve.

The first round clearly belonged to O’Malley, with all three judges scoring in his favour unanimously. Song’s game plan took a turn in the second; he started throwing sharp, low kicks and maintained proper distance from Sean, trying to nullify his reach advantage. The third round looked like it was slipping away from the American- until O’Malley managed to secure the proper distance and get his trademark knee to the head, which inflicted a lot of damage to Yadong. It was razor close, but O’ Mally’s late surge proved enough to secure his first victory since March 2024.

“ I never got it,”  Chael Sonnen questions the meaning behind Sean O’Malley’s victory

Even with his hand raised, questions lingered about what the fight truly meant, questions that Chael Sonnen addressed in his post-fight breakdown.

“I gotta tell you, I’m glad it’s over,” Sonnen said. “There’s a relief in there that it’s over on behalf of Sean. I never got it. I never understood or knew what those guys were fighting for.” “One guy he’s got no issue with whatsoever, that has literally never said anything to him that upset him, is that guy, Song Yadong,” he explained.  “When that fight was over, I also thought that Song won that fight,” he said, pointing to how the arena reacted once the decision was announced. “They made the announcement, and the crowd did not like it.

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The crowd did not agree at all.” Despite believing fans leaned toward Song, Sonnen didn’t expect the debate to linger for long. “My guess is they don’t think Sean won, and I also predict for you that’s probably not a headline anywhere,” he added. “A lot of fights happen where you don’t agree with the outcome.” Sonnen reiterated that he expected the judges to side with Song.

That theme echoed O’Malley’s own post-fight comments. The former champion admitted he initially believed Song was just as fast as him,at least in his head, before realizing inside the Octagon that the speed gap wasn’t what he expected.

Even so, Sonnen credited Sean O’Malley for stepping into an awkward matchup and finding a way through. “He still found a way to go out there and win.” In Sonnen’s view, that effort deserves recognition. No matter how indefinitive it was, O’ Malley needed this win. And if the UFC truly values grit as much as spectacle, O’Malley’s next move may prove just as important as the decision that followed him out of the Octagon.

Petr Yan responds coldly after Sean O’Malley’s UFC 324 callout

Sean O’Malley returned after a two-year setback, but his victory failed to generate the attention he expected. He quickly called out Petr Yan after the fight, but Yan responded with a cold, sarcastic remark.“Just woke up,” Yan wrote, adding a yawning emoji. “Anything important happened?”

In his post-fight interview, O’ Malley said Petr Yan has something that I want,” O’Malley said in his post-fight interview. “All respect to Merab. If he gets the next shot, it’s well deserved. But Petr Yan, you want that rematch, I want that belt. Let’s make it happen. Go out there and take care of Merab if that’s what’s next; if not, let’s run it, baby.  O’Malley added. “If they make that fight, I’m chilling.”

O’Malley acknowledged Yan’s credentials and explained the level of preparation he believes a rematch would demand.
“I’m going to have to show up ready to go five rounds, focused, and improve outside of camp. Petr Yan is the champ for a reason. He’s one of my favorite fighters to watch. I would love to compete against him again. But yeah, I’d have to have a really good camp, show up and put on an OG ‘Suga’ performance.”

For now, O’Malley acknowledged Yan’s level and said a rematch would require intense preparation.