\n Posted on: January 23, 2026, 04:31h.\u00a0\n <\/p>\n
\n Last updated on: January 23, 2026, 04:32h.\n <\/p>\n
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- Paddy Pimblett betting favourite for tomorrow night\u2019s lightweight interim title bout at UFC 324<\/b><\/li>\n
- Sean O\u2019Malley looking for a road back to a title shot, needs to beat Song Yadong first<\/b><\/li>\n
- O\u2019Malley betting favourite at BetMGM<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
The UFC gets out of the gate for 2026 with a bang tomorrow night, with UFC 324 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, headlined by a lightweight interim title bout between No. 4 Justin Gaethje versus No. 5 Paddy \u201cThe Baddy\u201d Pimblett.<\/p>\n
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Sean O\u2019Malley is seen on stage during the UFC 324 press conference at T-Mobile Arena yesterday in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Image: Jeff Bottari\/Zuffa LLC)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n The winner of this one, said UFC CEO and President Dana White, will likely square off with lightweight title holder Ilia Topuria, who has stepped away from UFC to deal with a family matter. There\u2019s no point in getting into the specifics of that, with plenty of rumours flying around social media<\/a>. There\u2019s been no indication that Topuria is done with MMA. He just needs to clear up this personal issue.<\/p>\n
Pimblett Betting Favourite<\/h2>\n
A Topuria comeback<\/a> versus Pimblett would line up as one of the biggest fights in UFC history. Topuria issued a statement<\/a> recently that he intends to defend his title in the next six months, against either Pimblett or Gaethje, he said.<\/p>\n
White was thrown a curveball a week back when Kayla Harrison, the women\u2019s bantamweight champion, had to pull out of her scheduled fight with Amanda Nunes due to neck surgery. White said yesterday as soon as she is well that fight will be rescheduled.<\/p>\n
For tomorrow night, White moved up No. 3 Sean O\u2019Malley versus No. 5 Song Yadong in a men\u2019s bantamweight bout. O\u2019Malley was a UFC superstar in the making, with highlight reel knockouts, but went off the radar after losing two fights in a row, both to Merab Dvalishvili \u2013 by submission at UFC 316 last June and by unanimous decision at UFC 306 in September 2024.<\/p>\n
O\u2019Malley used to headline pay-per-view fights. Then he got moved down to undercard.<\/p>\n
O\u2019Malley Looks to Make a Statement<\/h2>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not even the co-main, dude. I am falling off hard,\u201d said O\u2019Malley back in December when the UFC 324 card was announced<\/a>.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s next? Prelims? F\u2014, early prelims? God dammit, it\u2019s not going good for the Suga show. The stock of the Suga show is down bad right now, it\u2019s not good, it\u2019s not looking good,\u201d<\/p>\n
Now he\u2019s on a co-main fight card for tomorrow night\u2019s card. A grand opportunity for him to make a statement against Yadong, known for a crisp boxing-heavy, explosive style.<\/p>\n
UFC is kicking off its new $7.7 billion broadcasting partnership with Paramount+, so having a brand like O\u2019Malley, who\u2019s an American to boot, fighting in one of UFC\u2019s meccas, Las Vegas, is a pretty good consolation prize after Harrison\u2019s injury.<\/p>\n
Yadong\u2019s Crisp Boxing Style<\/h2>\n
\u201cSong\u2019s hungry, experienced, explosive,\u201d O\u2019Malley said at the pre-fight news conference. \u201cHe hits hard. He\u2019s dangerous \u2026 one of the best strikers I fought.\u201d<\/p>\n
O\u2019Malley later told Sportsnet<\/a> the three rounds for tomorrow\u2019s fight gives him an advantage. O\u2019Malley hasn\u2019t fought a three-round fight since 2022. \u201cI have been enjoying the three-round training camp. Still putting in the work, training camp\u2019s are never easy, or fun. It\u2019s a good push, but three rounds sounds nice. It will change the pace, three rounds to five rounds.\u201d<\/p>\n
At BetMGM<\/a> today, Pimblett is the betting favourite, at -235, with Gaethje +190. Pimblett has been getting 35% of bets, 49% of handle. Like White has said, oddsmakers have been too quick to dismiss Gaethje. DraftKings<\/a> has it Pimblett -230, Gaethje +190.<\/p>\n
O\u2019Malley is the clear betting favourite in his fight, at -210 (Yadong is +170). Yadong has seen 54% of bets, 52% of handle at BetMGM. At DraftKings O\u2019Malley is -205, Yadong +170.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
- Sean O\u2019Malley looking for a road back to a title shot, needs to beat Song Yadong first<\/b><\/li>\n