Sean O’Malley and Entire Bantamweight Division Put on Notice Just Days Before UFC 299

Everyone agrees that UFC 299 is a very good card. So much so that many feel it is even better than the UFC 300 anniversary card, on which the Dana White-led UFC supposedly over-promised and under-delivered. UFC 299, set for March 9 at the Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida, will be headlined by Sean O’Malley‘s first bantamweight title defense against Marlon ‘Chito’ Vera, and will especially be consequential for the bantamweight division. But there is another fight on the card that will have huge implications for the division and the champion.

The March 9 card will decide the champion of the 135-pound division after O’Malley-Vera as well as a potential new challenger for the bantamweight crown. #4 ranked former champion Petr Yan will take on promising #7 ranked Song Yadong in a consequential bout that is likely to see the winner fight for the title. And the bout between the two bantamweight prospects promises to be a thrilling matchup which many are looking forward to, including former UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski.

‘Volk’ thinks UFC 299’s Yan vs. Yadong is a great stylistic matchup

Alexander Volkanovski shared his thoughts on the upcoming UFC 299 card on his official YouTube channel, including the Petr Yan vs. Song Yadong matchup. Volkanovski felt that it was a good and interesting stylistic matchup between the two strikers.

“Petr Yan and Song Yadong, so that’s a fun fight. Both great strikers, both durable, both powerful. Oh man, that’s an interesting fight, that is a fun fight. Petr Yan’s my guy and I know what he’s capable of. So you know I think stylistically as well it’s not bad,” Volkanovski said.

The Australian felt that Song was a dangerous fighter who would trouble anyone he fights in the bantamweight division, including champion Sean O’Malley. “Song is that good and I feel like he’s a big threat to a lot of the people in that division, most people in that division in fact. I think this is a great fight especially cuz not many people want to fight Yadong,” he added. The former featherweight champion felt that Yan, on a recent glut of form, had a great opportunity to remind the UFC world how good he is if he can get through Yadong.

Winner of Yan-Yadong may fight for title soon

Song Yadong’s UFC 299 fight against Petr Yan will determine the future course of the bantamweight division title picture. Champion Sean O’Malley will take on Marlon ‘Chito’ Vera at the top of the same card and will likely face Merab Dvalishvili next.

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And Yan, who is coming into the bout having lost his last three fights, can make a real statement with a win over the young and promising Yadong. Of his three losses, one was a controversial split-decision loss to Sean O’Malley and another a second split-decision loss to then-champion Aljamain Sterling. A win at the Miami card will certainly help him get back in the title picture.

A win will also be important for Yadong, who will most, likely break into the top five of the division and be one or two fights away from fighting for the title, perhaps even by fall next year, perhaps after a number one title contender bout with #3 ranked Cory Sandhagen while the winner of O’Malley-Vera fights Dvalishvili. The possibilities are endless, with other contenders like UFC Vegas 87 main event winner Umar Nurmagomedov waiting on the sidelines.

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