O'Malley vs Yadong Odds and Prediction for UFC 324 fight

By Klimentijs Konevs | Published: December X, 2025

Sean O'Malley makes his return at UFC 324, taking on Song Yadong in a bantamweight clash. The fight is taking place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on January 25. O'Malley suffered back-to-back losses to the former champion Merab Dvalishvili, but he remains one of the most dangerous strikers and a cash cow for the UFC at the bantamweight division. A win here would immediately put O'Malley back on the fast track to title contention. In this O'Malley vs Yadong prediction, we break down the odds, key facts, and give you our take on this matchup.

O'Malley has a five-inch reach advantage that makes closing the distance an awkward task for Yadong. He also enjoys a slight height advantage, allowing him to control range with long, straight strikes. In general, Yadong has rarely faced opponents this tall and rangy at bantamweight.

O'Malley heads into this fight looking to reset after two tough losses to Merab. He first dropped the bantamweight title and was then clearly second best in the rematch. This fight exposed his biggest weakness. O'Malley isn't comfortable on the ground, and Merab never gave him the space to strike.

That said, when Suga gets the fight where he wants it, few bantamweights are as dangerous. His smooth footwork and long reach make him incredibly hard to deal with. He's always on the move, building his strikes from counterattacks. He's beaten quite a few elite bantamweights, including Marlon Vera, Aljamain Sterling, and Petr Yan, although his win over Yan is debatable. Sean's right hand is his main weapon. He needs only one precise strike to put an opponent out cold, and it was that right hand which famously earned him his bantamweight title.

2026 OUR YEAR FELLAS pic.twitter.com/ROHyiPEmP4

— Sean O'Malley (@SugaSeanMMA) December 12, 2025

O'Malley's last fights

Song Yadong has endless cardio and serious boxing power. He can push a pace, throw hard for long stretches, and isn't afraid to stand and trade. In 2024, he lost to Yan by decision, but it was a competitive fight that tested his durability. He followed that up with a win over Henry Cejudo. That guy was clearly past his best, yet both of them produced plenty of clean exchanges.

The concern with Song has always been his defence. He looks stiff on his feet and often chooses to eat shots rather than slip and dodge them. His chin is proven, but against a sharp, precise striker like O'Malley, endurance alone won't be enough. The Kung Fu Kid will need some more tricks up his sleeve to avoid getting picked apart at range.

Everyone in Song Yadong’s gym wore Sean O’Malleys face masks for his birthday 😂 pic.twitter.com/B9HE05zdjZ

— Dovy🔌 (@DovySimuMMA) December 2, 2025

Yadong's last fights

Sean looks genuinely excited about this matchup. His last few training camps were built around sparring with wrestlers, which isn't exactly what he enjoys. This time, we got two stylistically similar opponents who want to strike, and that should allow O'Malley to look far more like himself. Expect him to manage distance, stay light on the feet, and patiently wait for Song to step forward. With this being a three-round fight, both men should have enough gas to keep the pace. Song's pressure will create moments, but it also opens windows. If those exchanges happen at range, O'Malley's precision and timing should take over. We are backing Sean to win via TKO/KO.

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