Sean O’Malley reveals he wasn’t interested in ‘explosive’ UFC 324 opponent – ‘I wanted Zhabi’

“Suga” didn’t want to fight “Kung Fu Kid.”

Former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley will return for the first time since his title rematch loss when he meets division staple Song Yadong at UFC 324 on Jan. 24, 2026, inside T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

O’Malley remains one of the promotion’s biggest stars, but he desperately needs to get back in the win column. Instead of easing his way back, he’s jumping straight into another dangerous matchup against the ultra-durable, heavy-hitting Yadong.

However, apparently that wasn’t O’Malley’s idea. He wanted the surging Canadian Aiemann Zahabi.

“Suga isn’t looking so hot lately, but I think he’s going to come back and impress people,” O’Malley said on his podcast today. “Song Yadong is explosive, young, hungry, and very experienced for being so young. He’s beat some of the best guys in the division. He’s got a really good fight camp over there at Team Alpha Male. He’s Chinese, so he’s smart. It’s not an easy fight.

“I didn’t want this fight; I wanted Aiemann. I was like, ‘Can I have Zhabi?’ They said ‘no.’ F—k! I’ll take Song. It’s a good fight,” O’Malley concluded. “No. 2 vs. No. 5 in January. I’ve been trying to fight. I wanted to fight in December, November, but I’m ready.”

Zahabi, riding a seven-fight win streak, had called out O’Malley earlier this year after beating Marlon Vera, and it looks like he almost got his wish — but not quite. He’ll likely have to settle for someone like Mario Bautista now.

O’Malley enters UFC 324 on the first two-fight skid of his career — both losses coming against current champion Merab Dvalishvili — and now faces a man who has never been knocked out inside the Octagon.