"This would be the best birthday present for me" - the former champion on the title fight at the UFC 333 tournament

“This would be the best birthday present for me” — former champion on title fight at UFC 333

Former UFC lightweight champion Sean O’Malley has spoken out about the co-main event of UFC 333 in Abu Dhabi on October 24. The fight will feature the third (trilogy) clash between current champion Peter Yan and Georgian Merab Dvalishvili (who are currently 1-1).

O’Malley is hoping for a victory for the Russian fighter in this clash. He has lost two chances to Dvalishvili and defeated Yan in a draw in 2022. If Dvalishvili regains the championship belt, O’Malley’s chances of fighting him for a third time will be reduced. If Yan wins, the American fighter will become the main contender for the next title fight.

“It would be great if Yan won. If Merab won, I would like to have a third fight with him, but the fans don’t want it — no one is interested in this fight right now. Therefore, Peter’s victory would be the best birthday present for me. In the last fight, he was able to break Merab in the last rounds, so now I rate Yan’s chances higher,” says Sean O’Malley.

Also, O’Malley’s chances of getting into the next title fight will depend not only on the Yan-Dvalishvili fight, but also on the outcome of the fight between Umar Nurmagomedov and Song Yadong, which will be held on August 29.

For your information, the first fight between Pyotr Yan and Merab Dvalishvili took place on March 11, 2025, and the Georgian fighter won by decision. The second fight took place on December 7, 2025, and the Russian fighter came out on top.