Sean O'Malley thinks Petr Yan 'got bullied' into fighting him at UFC 280
The rising UFC star believes the former UFC bantamweight champion was forced to fight him at Saturday's UFC 280 pay-per-view event.
Despite being the underdog in the fray, O'Malley (15-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC) says Yan (16-3 MMA, 8-2 UFC) would likely turn him down,
but was forced by the UFC. to agree to the confrontation.
“He was the only guy after that fight with Pedro Munhoz (when) I came back to the UFC and said, 'Hey, I want to book a fight,'” O'Malley told reporters at UFC 280 media day.
“Obviously it was not a satisfying victory. Petr was literally the only guy in the top 10 without a fight.
“He refused Chito. He turned Chito down, so I don't think he really had an option.
I think the UFC probably went up to him and said, 'Hey, you can't just keep turning down these guys. You have to fight the 'Suga Show'.
“I know he was saying he chose this fight, but I don't believe it. I think he was intimidated by it.”
O'Malley is coming off a no contest against veteran Pedro Munhoz at UFC 276 in July. On the other hand,
Yan was last seen in a hotly contested title unification bout against champion Aljamain Sterling in April at UFC 273.
O'Malley scored the fight for the champion, but admits it was a hard fought fight.
“It's hard to say you won when Aljo took the back, I think three different rounds and held him for a while,” O'Malley said.
"I don't know, I would have to watch it again, but I think the last time I watched it,
I have an advantage over Aljo, but it was definitely still close."
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