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When Will Sean O’Malley Return?

Originally posted on BoxingNews.com | Last updated Nov 13, 2025 2:03 AM ET

Sean’s O’Malley coach, Tim Welch, has opened up on his fighter’s future, as he earmarked a possible return for January 2026.

O’Malley is going through one of the toughest periods of his career. He lost his UFC Bantamweight Title to Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 306 in 2024. That was followed up by a submission loss at UFC 315 this year in the immediate rematch. That makes a third fight less likely, with Sean no closer to a title shot. There has been suggestions that he could move up from the bantamweight division due to the difficulties over the weight cut and the need for a new challenge. Regardless, Welch wants his man back in action as soon as possible.

Welch Reacts

“Hopefully in January. Hopefully, yeah in January. We’re kind of keeping him ready. Just got done sparring right now, so we’re starting to get his body ready to go for a battle… I mean gosh, there’s a bunch of fights that could happen.

“But I really want; if things work out the way they should work out and ‘Sug’ gets to fight for the title again in the warehouse, you’ve got Song Yadong, who’s a great match — that would be an exciting fight. You’ve got the [Aiemann] Zahabi kid. The Zahabi kid, he beat Pedro Munhoz, he beat Jose Aldo, he beat [Marlon] ‘Chito’ Vera. I think that’s another exciting fight that we could look really good in,” Welch said

Options

A fight against Song Yadong (ranked 5th) could make sense. It would be a stand-up battle, giving O’Malley an opportunity to showcase his signature knockout power and precision striking against a top-five opponent, effectively proving he can still beat the division’s elite.

The second option is Aiemann Zahabi (ranked 7th), who is riding a seven-fight win streak and recently secured victories over Marlon Vera and José Aldo. Zahabi presents a strong grappling threat and a calculated striking game, offering O’Malley a balanced, high-stakes fight that would push him back up the rankings.

Beyond the bantamweight division, at 145 pounds, O’Malley would carry his speed and precision into a division of slightly slower, larger fighters, potentially enhancing his power. This move offers immediate, fresh matchups that could position him for a shot at the featherweight title.

This article first appeared on BoxingNews.com and was syndicated with permission.

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