Yan eyes O'Malley rematch in 2027 after defending title against Dvalishvili at UFC 333

Petr Yan has opened the door to a rematch with Sean O’Malley in 2027, but only after he settles unfinished business with Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 333 in Abu Dhabi on Saturday.

“Why not?” Yan told MMA Fighting through an interpreter. “For real, we have history, so why wouldn’t that be the fight?”

Yan lost a split decision to O’Malley in 2022 — almost four years to the date of his upcoming trilogy with Dvalishvili — and believes “Suga” has done enough to earn a title shot after knocking out Aiemann Zahabi in the second round on the UFC White House card in June. O’Malley had previously beaten Song Yadong by decision, moving to 2-0 since his back-to-back title losses to Dvalishvili. The popular bantamweight was 18-1 before that difficult stretch, a run that included bonus-winning wins over both Yan and Aljamain Sterling.

Despite acknowledging O’Malley’s recent momentum, Yan was measured in his praise. “It’s just that he’s obviously winning,” Yan said. “He’s doing a great job. He’s moving forward, and he’s definitely proved that he is the next one, or one of the next ones who should be good to fight for the title, but it’s not that I’m watching it and I’m impressed by it — just he’s on the right trajectory.”

Ultimately, Yan deferred to the UFC on who gets the next shot. “Whoever the UFC puts in front of me, that is who I’m going to fight,” he said. “I don’t choose my opponent.”

Yan reclaimed the bantamweight title in December 2025 with an upset decision over Dvalishvili at UFC 323, extending his winning streak to four and avenging a 2023 defeat. Dvalishvili has since said he was not himself in that rematch and has made adjustments ahead of Saturday’s trilogy. Yan expects more of the same from the Georgian wrestler.

“I’m sure he’s gonna try and go for a double leg or go for a takedown and try and put his pressure on me,” Yan said. “We’re ready for everything. We’re ready to wrestle if we need to wrestle, and we’re ready for the tempo.”

The two fighters have now shared the octagon for 10 full rounds across three and a half years, and Yan is determined to end the trilogy more decisively. “I see it and I can envision it,” he said of stopping Dvalishvili. “I’m gonna do whatever I can to finish the fight earlier this time.”