Football 
Horse Racing 
Mixed martial arts UFC 280 Petr Yan vs Sean O’Malley Best Bet: Can ‘Sugar’ Earn a Title Shot?
UFC 280 Petr Yan vs Sean O’Malley Best Bet: Saturday, October 22nd
I would be remiss if I missed the opportunity to give my 2 cents on a fight between Petr ‘No Mercy’ Yan and ‘Sugar’ Sean O’Malley. What we have here, ladies and gentlemen, is a fight between the former Bantamweight champion and the 11th-ranked fighter in the division. This could have easily been the main event of a Fight Night, but I’m glad it’s happening right before the Bantamweight title bout. Will O’Malley earn his first-ever career title shot, or will Petr Yan get right back into the cage with the champ?
In this article:
Petr Yan vs Sean O’Malley Preview
Saturday, October 22nd TBD
So, what can we expect from these two 135-pounders? Well, for one, it’s going to be an entertaining fight, so try to tune in before the main events start. This card is stacked, and you don’t want to miss a beat. But also, I expect to see a trilogy title fight between Petr Yan and Aljamain Sterling in 6 months. Why?
Let’s start with O’Malley and his MMA career so far. Sean officially joined the UFC back in 2018 and quickly made a name for himself as a very exciting fighter with excellent striking and a colourful personality. 15 wins, 1 loss and 1 NC at the age of 27 and he’s already fighting the top contender in the division. O’Malley is very tall for the Bantamweight division at 180 centimetres and has a reach of 183 cm. However, he has yet to face a fighter of Yan’s calibre, which is why a lot of people are questioning his ability to win this one – including myself.
Petr Yan is 29 years old and is much shorter than his opponent at 170 cm with a reach of 170. He’s been in the UFC since 2018 and has an MMA record of 16 wins and 3 losses. He won the vacant Bantamweight title against legend Jose Aldo just 2 years after making his UFC debut but lost it in his very next fight against Aljamain Sterling due to an illegal knee.
An elite boxer with solid kicks and good grappling, Yan’s skillset is complemented by his insane durability and endurance. He throws 5.45 strikes per minute, and there is a lot of power behind his strikes. He excels in 5-round events where he can invest in shots to the body and download his opponent’s movement patterns. He isn’t a submission threat, but he is always a threat to put the lights out, boasting 7 career TKO wins.
Petr Yan vs Sean O’Malley Best Bet
This is what is going to happen. They’re going to spend much of the first round standing up, feeling each other’s defence out and throwing a few strikes here and there. Tight round, O’Malley might even win it. But, at the start of the second round, Yan comes out fast, closes the distance and applies pressure.
It’s very likely he will shoot for some takedowns, and even sweep Sean’s kicks. Expect O’Malley to attempt a triangle off the back, but this is unlikely to work. Yan wins the second due to ground control. Finally, Yan gets the better of most exchanges in the 3rd round, and maybe even gets a knockdown. I don’t think he will be able to get the early finish, but a convincing decision victory is a strong possibility.
- Selection: Yan by Decision
- Best odds: 2.05 (Unibet)
- Stakes: 2/10
Odds as of 2:00 pm on October 21st, 2022. Odds may now differ.
More Petr Yan vs Sean O’Malley Tips
