Former UFC champion Sean O’Malley doesn’t expect his fighting career to last forever.
“Suga” endured a difficult 2025, competing just once in a one-sided rematch with Merab Dvalishvili that saw him submitted
in the third round. He’s hoping to rebound at UFC 324 on Jan. 24 versus Featherweight knockout artist Song Yadong, however, and his position in the title picture isn’t so terrible. Dvalishvili lost his crown to Petr Yan, a man whom O’Malley controversially defeated in 2022.
Now that Yan has dethroned Dvalishvili and captured gold, the storyline for an O’Malley rematch and title shot is there if O’Malley can just take out Yadong. Despite the opportunities ahead of him, however, O’Malley is already considering that 2026 could be his final year as a professional fighter.
Retirement would be especially likely if he were to come up short at UFC 324.
“It’s almost so pointless to predict what I want to do in the next five years, two years, three years,” O’Malley said on his YouTube channel (via MMA Junkie). “If I go out there and lose and lose, I’m done with this s—t. … Ideally, I go out there and take care of Song, and then get that Petr (Yan) fight, and then we’ll just go from there. See what life throws at me.”
O’Malley continued, “Honestly I’m getting ready for Petr still, too. I know I can’t look past Song, which I’m not. Song’s f—king dangerous. He’s dangerous. He’s got power in both hands, he’s fast. I’m preparing for him, but I’m preparing for Petr, too.
“Petr knows. That’s what’s next. I’m going to go out there, take care of Song, and that’s what’s next. It just makes sense. 2026 is about to be lit. I’m going to go out there, take care of Song, take care of Petr, (my new business) DoingWell is going to blow up. I’m going to retire. This might be the last ‘Suga’ year ever.”
A lot of fighters tease early retirements, but O’Malley is one of the few in a financial position to actually walk away. He’s established himself as a figure in the streaming and social media scene, and O’Malley has already proven himself uniquely capable of selling merchandise. The former champion has options, and it’s never a bad idea to leave combat sports a little too early rather than too late.
“The Suga Show” is a hot commodity.
Still, O’Malley also knows how to keep himself in headlines. Fight week is approaching, and this could simply be an attempt to shift the focus back onto the 31-year-old striking ace.
