Sean O’Malley scores first win in two years at UFC 324 to boost hopes of reclaiming bantamweight title

Jan 25, 2026 - 05:30

Sean O’Malley put his name back in the winning column with a tough win over Song Yadong at UFC 324.

The bantamweight stars met in the co-main event of the UFC‘s first show of 2026 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JANUARY 24: (R-L) Sean O'Malley strikes Song Yadong of China in a bantamweight bout during the UFC 324 event at T-Mobile Arena on January 24, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC) — The two top-ranked bantamweights kept the energy levels to the max throughout the co-main event

Both men were arguably one apiece after two rounds, but Sean O’Malley edged ahead with an impressive blitz in the final minute of the fight.

All three judges scored the contest 29-28 in favour of former UFC bantamweight champion O’Malley, who said after the bout he wants a crack at his old belt next.

“Petr Yan has something I want,” O’Malley said.

“You want that rematch, I want that belt, let’s make it happen!”

Yan is the current king of the 135lbs division and lost to O’Malley when the pair met at UFC 280 in October 2022.

The Russian snatched the belt off Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 323 last month.

O’Malley admitted he would be happy to wait if Yan offered Dvalishvili the rematch first, but it’s clear where his intentions lie.

What happened when Sean O’Malley fought Song Yadong?

Song went after O’Malley’s legs for most of round one as the latter used his reach advantage to keep his opponent at bay.

However, Song was doing a great job in closing in on O’Malley and taking the fight to the American.

Song went for a takedown in the final minute, and O’Malley, who looked massive in the Octagon, jumped the guillotine to conclude a nip and tuck opening five minutes.

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UFC 324: Results

Main card

Waldo Cortes-Acosta def. Derrick Lewis via second-round KO
Natalia Silva def. Rose Namajunas via unanimous decision
Jean Silva def. Arnold Allen via unanimous decision

Preliminary card

Umar Nurmagomedov def. Deiveson Figueiredo via unanimous decision
Ateba Gautier def. Andrey Pulyaev via unanimous decision
Nikita Krylov def. Modestas Bukauskas via third-round KO
Alex Perez def. Charles Johnson via first-round KO
Josh Hokit def. Denzel Freeman via first-round KO
Ty Miller def. Adam Fugitt via first-round KO

The 28-year-old from China defended well and finished the round on top.

O’Malley’s legs were beginning to bruise in round two as both men traded tough blows early in the second stanza.

‘Suga’ looked rapid in the exchanges, but Song was doing a good job of matching his pace.

O’Malley, contesting his first non-title fight in four years, was struggling to find an opening, with Song continuing to batter his legs.

Song went for a single leg and managed to land several brutal knees on the back right calf of O’Malley, who definitely felt the pain.

O’Malley landed his best punches of the entire fight not long into round three, but there wasn’t much to separate the two bantamweight stars.

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JANUARY 24: (L-R) Sean O'Malley strikes Song Yadong of China during the UFC 324 event at T-Mobile Arena on January 24, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ed Mulholland/Zuffa LLC) — O’Malley’s elite striking guided him to victory

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JANUARY 24: (R-L) Sean O'Malley wrestles Song Yadong of China in a bantamweight bout during the UFC 324 event at T-Mobile Arena on January 24, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC) — He prevented Song from working on the ground

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JANUARY 24: (L-R) Sean O'Malley taunts Song Yadong of China in a bantamweight bout during the UFC 324 event at T-Mobile Arena on January 24, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Zuffa LLC) — ‘Suga’ knew he’d won by the final bell

As time ticked on, O’Malley found success with his jab and started to show why he is the former champion of the pair.

With both men arguably winning a round each until the third, O’Malley pushed away in the final two minutes.

Song was bleeding heavily from his mouth as O’Malley landed a huge right hand.

Out of desperation, the Chinese fighter attempted a single leg, but ‘Suga’ defended well

O’Malley then landed a knee and started to turn things on in the final few seconds in a crucial final minute of the fight that would’ve won it for him.

Showing the mentality of a former champion, the American kept landing on Yadong, leaving the judges with no choice but to score him the round and the win.