Song Yadong wants Sean O’Malley next, but believes UFC will “protect him”
UFC bantamweight contender Song Yadong wants Sean O’Malley next, but he believes that the UFC will “protect him.”
Yadong defeated Ricky Simon via fifth-round TKO in the main event of UFC Vegas 72, picking up one of the biggest wins of his UFC career to date. Considering Simon was on a roll heading into this fight and getting people to talk about future title speculation with him, the fact Yadong defeated him in such impressive fashion puts him right in the thick of the title talks at 135lbs.
In fact, when asked who he would like to fight next, Yadong said he wants a top-five foe in his next match. He mentioned fighters such as Rob Font and Marlon Vera, but the one that he really wants is O’Malley — though Yadong highly doubts the UFC would match these two up.
“I want to fight top-five fighters. Even (Rob) Font – he’s No. 6. He’s OK. (Marlon) ‘Chito’ Vera and Sean O’Malley – but they probably won’t give me Sean O’Malley. They want to protect him. Whatever. Just top five. My goal is to fight top-five fighters this year,” Yadong said (via MMAjunkie.com).
It will be interesting to see who the UFC matches Yadong up with next. Clearly, he is one of the best bantamweights in the UFC, and he is only 5 years old, so he still has his best years left ahead of him. At this point, it feels like he’s earned another opponent ranked in the top 10, at the very least, but a top-five opponent can’t be discounted either. Although O’Malley seems unlikely just because he already has a title shot in the bag and would be foolish to risk it against a dangerous opponent like Yadong, another opponent in the top five is certainly possible.
Do you want to see Song Yadong fight Sean O’Malley next, and if so, who would win?
