Sean O’Malley’s head coach has a theory about Daniel Cormier.
Petr Yan beat Merab Dvalishvili by unanimous decision in the UFC 333 co-main event. In the cage afterward, Cormier asked the bantamweight champion about a fight with Song Yadong, who was sitting ringside. O’Malley’s name never came up.
Tim Welch addressed it on The Ariel Helwani Show, and he pointed out that O’Malley and Yan have both already beaten Song.
I’m curious, hopefully I have DC on my show today or tomorrow and ask him what he thought about that. If you look back this year, Suga has his hand raised in a unanimous decision versus Song Yadong, and then at UFC 299, Petr Yan has his hand raised against Song Yadong.
I’m curious if someone was in Daniel Cormier’s ear because Song Yadong was there but I don’t think that was the case, I think DC was pushing for Song because I think deep down there’s something that rubs him the wrong way about ‘Suga.’
Welch admitted he could be off base, but he plans to ask Cormier directly.
Past little comments and then just, I don’t know, we’re gonna get down to the bottom of it when I talk to him so I’m curious and I could be totally wrong about that but it’s always seemed like DC has something against Suga and he doesn’t like seeing him win.
O’Malley beat Song at UFC 324 in January. He has also said he was surprised Cormier brought up Song, and he questioned whether Yan wants the rematch. O’Malley won their first fight by split decision at UFC 280 in 2022, a result that is still debated.
Dana White said after UFC 333 that Yan has two potential next opponents, and he called Song a “great option.”
UFC 333 Recap, Dominick Reyes, Lone’er Kavanagh, Tim Welch, Niko Pajarillo on Volk Legacy | 10/26/26
