With UFC megastar Conor McGregor absent, the promotion left a gap for a trash-talking star, and Sean O’Malley stepped in. From his debut, fans immediately noticed he mirrored McGregor because his trash talk, fighting style, and marketability all reflected the former superstar. While O’Malley worked to refine this persona, he still lacked something.

Last month at UFC 324, during his face-off with Chinese prospect Song Yadong, Sean O’Malley shocked everyone by appearing on stage wearing a COVID mask, hinting at a provocative link to the virus. The stunt immediately enraged ‘The Kung Fu Kid’, who responded with a fiery rant about O’Malley’s actions. Now Yadong is stepping forward once again to share his side.

Song Yadong speaks out against Sean O’Malley’s trash talk ahead of UFC 324

“That was totally racist,” said Song Yadong to Home of Fight when asked about his true feelings and whether he was offended. Song admitted, “Yeah, a little bit. Yeah. So, I’m not happy with that. You know, even the Chinese, they don’t like that. Yeah.”

At the same time, as the UFC moves forward with its seven-year broadcasting deal with Paramount, rumors have been spreading across the MMA world that the promotion is trimming less marketable fighters, particularly those who are Russian or non-English speakers. As a result, this has put other fighters on alert, especially after the UFC experienced a notable drop in revenue last year.

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Including American fan favorite Sean O’Malley, who appears to have dropped his “good boy” image and adopted a Conor McGregor persona, Song Yadong now seems unfazed by it. “Yeah. Like, uh, he was a little too personal or offensive with the trash talk… He wants to be the second Conor [McGregor]. So yeah, I’m okay with that. You know, it’s good for promotion.”

Just like the promotion, Sean O’Malley is trying to regain momentum. Right now, he is coming off a tough stretch in his career, having lost his last two consecutive UFC outings against Merab Dvalishvili.

Those losses, however, shook ‘Suga’s confidence and kept him out of the public eye for weeks. But now, he is returning to action on the first UFC card of 2026. Now, he’s gearing up to step back into the Octagon at UFC 324 against Song Yadong, aiming to reassert himself as a serious title contender.

Song Yadong following the Merab Dvalishvili game plan for O’Malley

“I think I’m close [to catching Conor McGregor],” said Sean O’Malley back in 2024, ahead of his title defense against Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 306. But during the fight, Dvalishvili completely dominated ‘Suga’ with his wrestling throughout all five rounds, and in the end, dethroned him with a decision victory in his second title defense.

Then, in their rematch at UFC 316 last year, Dvalishvili stuck to the same strong game plan and submitted O’Malley with a guillotine choke in the third round.

Now, Song Yadong, a natural striker, is shifting his focus more toward wrestling. “For this year, I have been focused on more wrestling,” the 28-year-old ‘The Kung Fu Kid’ told UFC.com. “I went to San Diego to train with J-Flo (Justin Flores). He’s a judo guy, so I learned some new stuff. I feel great. I feel like I’m reaching my peak.”

What’s your take on the highly anticipated UFC 324 clash between Song Yadong and Sean O’Malley? Can the Chinese star take down O’Malley and stay on track for a title shot? Share your thoughts below.