Sean O’Malley and Petr Yan are two of the most exciting bantamweight fighters in the UFC. When they faced off in the octagon on December 11, 2021, fans knew they were in for a thrilling fight.
O’Malley, known for his flashy striking and unorthodox approach, came into the fight with an impressive record of 14 wins and one loss. Yan, on the other hand, was a former bantamweight champion with a record of 16 wins and two losses.
The first round of the fight saw both fighters trading shots and looking for openings. O’Malley landed several significant strikes, but Yan showed his toughness and continued to press forward. Yan’s grappling skills were also on display as he took O’Malley down to the mat a few times.
In the second round, Yan began to take over. He landed several hard shots that visibly rocked O’Malley and then took him down again. From there, Yan was able to control O’Malley on the ground and land ground and pound strikes.
The third round saw more of the same from Yan. He was able to take O’Malley down again and control him on the ground. O’Malley showed heart and tried to scramble back to his feet, but Yan’s grappling was just too much.
In the end, Yan was declared the winner by TKO due to a leg injury that O’Malley suffered in the final seconds of the fight. While the injury was a disappointing end to the fight, Yan’s dominance throughout the bout was clear.
Despite the loss, O’Malley’s stock in the UFC remains high. He showed flashes of brilliance in the fight and his unorthodox style is always exciting to watch.
For Yan, the win over O’Malley was an important bounce-back after losing his title to Aljamain Sterling earlier in the year. He proved that he is still one of the best bantamweights in the world and is sure to be a top contender for the belt again in the near future.
Overall, the fight between O’Malley and Yan was an exciting matchup between two of the best fighters in the bantamweight division. While Yan ultimately came out on top, both fighters showed that they are capable of putting on thrilling performances in the octagon.