Sean O’Malley is eager to get back in the octagon, but first, he has to undergo hip surgery that has been plaguing him for some time. After losing his bantamweight title to Merab Dvalishvili, O’Malley is determined to have the procedure done before returning to the cage. As Dvalishvili considers defending his title against Umar Nurmagomedov, O’Malley has thrown down an ultimatum for both fighters to meet.

Nurmagomedov, currently ranked #2 among title contenders, is the likely candidate for a title shot when Dvalishvili fights next. However, Dvalishvili seems more inclined towards a rematch with O’Malley, which could potentially happen by March 2025.

Despite acknowledging Nurmagomedov’s deserving status for a title shot, O’Malley insists on wrapping up business by the end of 2024. He boldly declared, “If unibrow and Merab don’t fight by the end of the year, I’m fighting Merab in March. Suck my sac if you don’t like that.”

However, O’Malley seems to overlook the fact that, without the belt, he isn’t in a position to make demands. Dvalishvili has yet to finalize his next opponent, and with all major pay-per-views scheduled for the rest of the year already set, it’s uncertain where a potential fight could land if they do meet before year-end.

Understandably, O’Malley is eager for a rematch after being decisively defeated over five rounds. The itch to fight is strong, especially after witnessing the excitement of UFC 307.

During the event, O’Malley was captivated by Alex Pereira’s striking performance against Khalil Rountree. Pereira’s ability to dismantle Rountree, who was initially leading on points, impressed O’Malley and reignited his desire to return to action.

In a recent episode of the TimboSugarShow podcast, O’Malley and his coach Tim Welch lauded Pereira’s performance. O’Malley remarked, “I wanna fight, dude. Watching Pereira put on such a sick performance got me fired up.” The former bantamweight champion is clearly eager to replicate that kind of dominance when he steps back into the octagon.