Sean O’Malley feeling ‘extra confident’ heading into UFC 280 against Petr Yan

Bantamweight star Sean O’Malley faces his toughest opponent to date at UFC 280 when he takes on former champion Petr Yan on October 22.

Yan (16-3) is the top-ranked contender in the division. O’Malley (15-1, 1 NC) is ranked No. 12. Yan is favorited to win by oddsmakers, but O’Malley expects to defy the odds in Abu Dhabi.

“I’m telling you right now, I will beat Pete October 22nd, 2022,” O’Malley said in a video posted to his YouTube channel. “Every fight I go into I’m very confident. I just feel extra confident going into this fight.”

If O’Malley manages to pull off the upset on the UFC 280 main card, he’ll catapult himself from the No. 12 ranking into contender status. Looking at the matchup, O’Malley likes how his skillset compares to the No. 1 contender’s.

“I think it’s a great matchup for me,” O’Malley said. “But honestly, it doesn’t matter who I’m fighting. I could be fighting Aljo (Aljamain Sterling). I could be fighting T.J. (Dillashaw). I could be fighting any of the top in the UFC right now and I’d feel confident.”

“Going into this fight, I legit just feel better than I’ve ever felt,” he continued. “My prediction? I beat his ass.”

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