The ‘Suga’ Show is seemingly gearing up for a return to the Octagon in the near future.
With UFC Paris underway, some big fights and performances are being delivered inside the Octagon on September 6.
While the promotion’s return to the French capital was always going to deliver, there are plenty of highly anticipated matchups on the horizon throughout the remainder of the year.
After Dana White recently announced a huge title fight double-header for UFC 322, we now have a good idea of what the final few events of 2025 will look like.
A recent report now suggests that one of the biggest stars on the roster will be added to the lineup of upcoming bouts in the coming months.
Sean O’Malley’s return reportedly in the works for UFC 323 against Song Yadong
2025 hasn’t been the best year for Sean O’Malley in his UFC career.
The former bantamweight champion returned to the Octagon at UFC 316 in September where he made some changes in his life to try and reclaim the belt.
O’Malley was beaten by Merab Dvalishvili for a second time, suffering the first submission loss of his career that has redefined his position in the division.
‘Suga’ will now join the other contenders that are looking to chase down ‘The Machine’, with a recent report suggesting that UFC 323 on December 6 might be the start of that path.
Bendaman2001 on X reported that a fight between O’Malley and Song Yadong is in the works for the final UFC PPV event before the promotion’s new broadcast deal begins in 2026.
Yadong is currently ranked as the #5 bantamweight contender, having beaten Henry Cejudo earlier this year after the fight was stopped due to an eye poke.
Song Yadong makes a lot of sense for Sean O’Malley’s Octagon return
Sean O’Malley is still one of the biggest names on the UFC roster and while the same cannot be said for Song Yadong, he makes a lot of sense as the former champion’s next opponent.
When you look at the other fighters that are ranked in the bantamweight top five, there are only two other viable options.
A rematch with Petr Yan may have been the most exciting option but the Russian has arguably already earned a title shot in his next outing.
With both Umar Nurmagomedov and Cory Sandhagen already booked, Yadong is the next logical option.