Petr Yan plans to return to the cage in March or April. Sean O'Malley and Song Yadong are being considered as potential opponents. Yan has already fought both men, beating Yadong and losing a decision to O'Malley in a bout he believes he won. He says the fights could be arranged soon if the UFC sees them as interesting matchups.
Petr Yan reportedly plans to return to the cage in March or April, with Sean O'Malley and Song Yadong among the opponents under consideration. The plan is not officially confirmed, and no bout has been announced.
Yan has already shared the cage with both men. He says the fights could come together quickly if the UFC views them as interesting matchups, according to the report.
Yan, 33, is the bantamweight champion and holds a 21-5 record. He most recently beat Merab Dvalishvili by unanimous decision over five rounds at UFC 333 on October 24, 2026, his most recent recorded fight. That followed another unanimous decision over Dvalishvili at UFC 323 in December 2025, and a decision win over Marcus McGhee in July 2025. The Russian lands 5.16 significant strikes per minute at 55 percent accuracy and averages 1.56 takedowns per 15 minutes.
O'Malley, 32, is 20-3 and ranked second at 135 pounds. He beat Aiemann Zahabi by second-round KO/TKO at UFC Freedom 250 on June 14, 2026, his most recent recorded fight. Before that he outpointed Yadong at UFC 324 in January. His striking numbers are the best of the three: 6.05 significant strikes per minute at 60 percent accuracy. He is also three inches taller than Yan and holds a five-inch reach advantage, 72 inches to 67.
Yadong, 28, is 24-9-1 and ranked third. He has won three straight since the O'Malley loss, beating Deiveson Figueiredo by second-round submission in May and Umar Nurmagomedov by second-round KO/TKO in August 2026. He lands 4.26 significant strikes per minute at 43 percent accuracy.
Why it matters
- Yan's history with the two men is mixed. He beat Yadong by unanimous decision at UFC 299 in March 2024, but lost a split decision to O'Malley at UFC 280 in October 2022, a result the champion believes should have gone his way.
- Yadong, ranked third, has beaten Yan but lost to O'Malley most recently, so he sits on both sides of the story.
- O'Malley, ranked second, would be the higher-ranked of the two options. A rematch would give Yan a chance to settle the split-decision loss, this time as champion.
- Yan averages 1.56 takedowns per 15 minutes against O'Malley's 0.24, a gap that could shape a rematch.
