Sean O’Malley has suggested he could retire from mixed martial arts this year, at the age of just 31.
On 24 January, O’Malley will face bantamweight contender Song Yadong in a bid to set up a title shot, as “Suga Sean” continues his pursuit of the belt he once held.
O’Malley, one of the UFC’s bigger stars, won the title with a knockout of Aljamain Sterling in 2023, before losing it to Merab Dvalishvili via decision in 2024. Last June, O’Malley was submitted by Dvalishvili in an instant rematch.
Still, it is conceivable that the American could fight for the title again if he beats Song, given Petr Yan – over whom O’Malley holds a win – dethroned Dvalishvili in December.
“Honestly, I’m getting ready for Petr still, too,” O’Malley said on his YouTube channel. “I know I can’t look past Song, which I’m not. I’m not taking Song [lightly].
“Song’s f***ing dangerous, he’s dangerous. He’s got power in both hands, he’s fast. I’m preparing for him, but I’m preparing for Petr, too. Petr knows. That’s what’s next.
“It just makes sense. 2026 is about to be lit. I’m going to go out there, take care of Song, take care of Petr. DoingWell [O’Malley’s new business] is going to blow up, I’m going to retire.
“This might be the last Suga year ever [...] It’s almost so pointless to predict what I want to do in the next five years, two years, three years. Take it one fight [at a time]. If I go out there and lose and lose, I’m done with this s***.
“Ideally, I go out there and take care of Song, and then get that Petr fight, and then we’ll just go from there. See what life throws at me.”
O’Malley, who turns 32 on 24 October, last secured a victory in March 2024, as he put on a masterclass to outpoint Marlon Vera in his lone successful title defence.
With that win, O’Malley avenged the only previous defeat of his professional career, having been stopped by Vera in 2020. Overall, O’Malley’s record stands at 18-3.
Meanwhile, his UFC 324 opponent Song is 22-8-1 (1 No Contest). Song will enter Las Vegas’s T-Mobile Arena on the back of a technical decision win against former champion Henry Cejudo last February.
A victory for Song on 24 January would see him edge towards a first title shot, though he was previously beaten by reigning champion Yan, who was controversially outpointed by O’Malley in 2022.
Yan’s title win against Dvalishvili in December saw the Russian become a two-time champion, after he first held the undisputed belt from 2020 until 2021 – and the interim strap from 2021 until 2022.
