Sean O'Malley fears back surgery could hurt Petr Yan against Merab Dvalishvili

Sean O'Malley said returning six or seven months after his own, less serious back operation was the biggest regret of his career, and fears Yan's nine-hour surgery could undo him at UFC 333.

By Combat Sports UK Staff · Published Wed 21 Oct, 08:13 UK · AI-assisted reporting

Sean O'Malley has changed his view of Petr Yan's bantamweight title defence against Merab Dvalishvili, warning that the champion's nine-hour back operation could leave him short when the pair complete their trilogy in the co-main event of UFC 333 in Abu Dhabi this weekend.

O'Malley has a stake in the result. He wants Yan to win, because a successful defence would set up a fight between the two of them that O'Malley believes would be the biggest in bantamweight history. Yan took the belt from Dvalishvili last December but has not defended it since because of the surgery.

O'Malley said on his YouTube channel: “I thought Petr was going to go in there and dominate but that alone, him getting surgery that close.” He added: “Those surgeries take four months, five months to actually let your body heal.” His concern comes from his own experience. O'Malley lost to Dvalishvili for a second time at UFC 316, competing six or seven months after a back operation he said was not “nearly as bad” as Yan's, and he described that decision as the biggest regret of his career. He said Dvalishvili had only grown in confidence while he himself was nowhere near where he needed to be for the rematch.

His coach, Tim Welch, offered a counterpoint about travel. When O'Malley fought Yan in Abu Dhabi four years ago, the team flew out several weeks early to acclimatise, and Welch said Dvalishvili will arrive only six days before the event. O'Malley recalled that it took him around six days to start feeling okay on that trip, leaving him more than enough time to adjust before the fight.

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Sean O'Malley Petr Yan Merab Dvalishvili