No one felt the pressure like former bantamweight champ Sean O’Malley at UFC 324. Coming off a two-fight skid, he stepped into the Octagon against Song Yadong with nothing to lose. ‘Suga’ poured everything into the fight and secured a decision win. Finally, after two long years, he savored victory and a sense of redemption. Post-fight, he soaked up the moment, celebrating his comeback and reflecting on the grind that got him here.

Moreover, this win puts Sean O’Malley back in the title mix, but for now, he’s all about living in the moment. After getting humbled by Merab Dvalishvili in back-to-back fights at UFC 306 and UFC 316, O’Malley has leveled up, appreciating every win more than ever. He had even hinted at retiring by year’s end before this fight. But after this comeback, he got real, sharing raw, unfiltered emotions and a new stance on his retirement plans.

Sean O’Malley takes a moment to appreciate his UFC 324 win against Song Yadong

“You know, that first Cheeto loss, I made it very well known, I didn’t feel like I was coming off a loss ever. I didn’t feel like I lost that fight. So, I feel like I just haven’t. My entire career, even as an amateur, I never—I never lost. And then, coming off these two losses, I was like, I took winning for granted because… I felt like I always won,” Sean O’Malley admitted to Dan Hellie and McKenzie Pavacich.

Over his more than decade-long career, Sean O’Malley has lost only three times, all inside the UFC. His first defeat came against Marlon ‘Chito’ Vera in 2020. Yet O’Malley quickly bounced back, building a six-fight streak. He won the title, defended it, and avenged his loss to Vera. Then, as he aimed to surpass Conor McGregor in his second title defense, Merab Dvalishvili ended his run.

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Still, ‘Suga’ overwhelmed Song Yadong at UFC 324, and that win shifted his mindset, prompting him to seriously consider retirement. For the former champion, it was pure, raw emotion, not something he had planned.

“I don’t know if that would have been, if I would have lost, it could have been like, I have such a good life back home… And that was a scary thought going into this fight, that I even had that thought in my mind, right? Because I was like, how bad do I really want this? If it comes down to one of those moments, how bad do I want it?”

“Will I be able to push like I did in that Peter Yan fight, that first fight? But I got the answer. I got my answer tonight. I do still want it. And I proved that to myself,” Sean O’Malley added.

With his latest win, Sean O’Malley delivered a huge moment of relief for the promotion. In the meantime, the organization is focusing on building more American stars to dominate the divisions while launching its seven-year deal with Paramount. Moreover, his victory boosted the promotion’s profile and might have secured him a spot at the UFC White House event.

O’Malley wants Peter Yan next

Sean O’Malley’s latest win at UFC 324 has brought him back to the form he showed two years ago. He looks confident and unstoppable, and he has every reason to feel self-assured when it comes to Petr Yan. In fact, the two bantamweights hold a long-standing rivalry, as their last clash at UFC 280 saw ‘Suga’ outstrike the Russian star and earn a split-decision victory in 2022.

This time, however, Petr Yan holds the belt, and Sean O’Malley is determined to reclaim it and become a two-time champion. He grabbed the opportunity immediately as Joe Rogan handed him the mic.

“Petr Yan has something that I want. All respect to Merab [Dvalishvili]. 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,” O’Malley told Joe Rogan after the win. “This feels so f–king good! God, it feels good to win. I hate losing. F–k, this feels good!” said Sean O’Malley.

‘Suga’ soon received a cold warning from the reigning bantamweight champion, Petr Yan, “I don’t choose my opponents. Whoever the UFC puts in front of me next is going into deep waters.”

With Merab Dvalishvili in the mix, do you think Sean O’Malley deserves the rematch against champion Petr Yan, or is Dvalishvili the one who should step up for a trilogy showdown at the White House? Drop your thoughts below.