Monday, January 26, 2026-After Sean O’Malley secured a unanimous decision win over Song Yadong in the co-main event at UFC 324, responses from fighters varied across the MMA community. Some praised O’Malley’s technical striking and movement, noting his return to form after a two-fight skid and how he edged out Song on the scorecards.
Former UFC bantamweight champion Petr Yan reacted somewhat sarcastically, downplaying the bout’s excitement on social media and prompting O’Malley to respectfully call for a potential future matchup once Yan resolves his own divisional challenges. Fellow fighters and fans both acknowledged that O’Malley’s performance could have gone either way, with many applauding his resilience and strategy but also commenting that it wasn’t a dominant finish.
O’Malley himself made it clear he’s eyeing a title rematch or next big fight after snapping his losing streak. He expressed confidence in his performance and reiterated his desire to pursue the bantamweight championship, specifically signaling interest in a showdown with Petr Yan.
Online reactions were mixed: some fans celebrated O’Malley’s tactical effort and returned to the win column, while others felt the decision was too close or even questioned the scoring, suggesting Song had done enough in earlier rounds to swing the fight his way.
Overall, the MMA world reacted with a blend of respect, debate, and anticipation — recognizing O’Malley’s emotional comeback but also fueling discussion about where both he and Song go next in the bantamweight rankings.
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