Sean O’Malley has cautioned Petr Yan against hastily pursuing a third fight in his Merab Dvalishvili UFC trilogy following Yan’s recent back surgery. Yan regained the UFC Bantamweight Championship title late in 2025 with a commanding victory over Dvalishvili at UFC 323, but O’Malley believes rushing into another fight too soon could be a serious mistake given Yan’s recovery needs.
O’Malley’s concerns rooted in personal experience
In a recent video on his YouTube channel, O’Malley expressed strong reservations about Yan jumping back into competition prematurely after undergoing minor back surgery. Pointing to his own recovery struggles after a hip injury, O’Malley warned that back surgery requires even more caution. He said,
“Ideally, I want Petr Yan next,”
but added,
“I hate the idea of him coming off back surgery and fighting Merab, especially if he tries to rush it. I f*cking rushed it with my hip and that’s completely different than a back. I don’t know how extensive his back surgery is. It sounds bad. Back surgery? Then you’re going to fight Merab. You’re going to fight Merab within a year after having back surgery? It sounds like a f*cking terrible mistake.”
—Sean O’Malley, UFC Fighter
Future of the bantamweight title and next matchups
The bantamweight division’s future depends heavily on the outcome of the anticipated Yan-Dvalishvili trilogy fight. O’Malley has stated he is prepared to wait for the winner of this third encounter before making his next move toward reclaiming the UFC Bantamweight title. If Yan retains his championship, this could set up a highly anticipated rematch between O’Malley and Yan for the belt.
The stakes of a premature trilogy showdown
Rushing back into a trilogy fight too soon could jeopardize Yan’s long-term health and career trajectory, underscoring the importance of proper recovery time after surgery. With high expectations for the bantamweight division’s championship battles, careful scheduling will be vital to ensure fighters like Yan and Dvalishvili compete at their best without risking further injury.
What’s next for the bantamweight championship?
As UFC matchmakers deliberate the timing of the next bantamweight title fight, fans and fighters alike await clarity on when the Yan-Dvalishvili trilogy will take place. Meanwhile, O’Malley remains vocal about his desire to face Yan again but stresses that health and readiness must come first. The outcome of this situation will significantly influence the division’s landscape and the road to the title moving forward.
