"It's a big jump up in competition" - Paddy Pimblett explains why Sean O'Malley's fight against Petr Yan is a "win-win" situation for 'Sugar' 

As Sean O'Malley edges closer to the biggest fight of his career, Paddy Pimblett took time to discuss the bantamweight's upcoming clash against Petr Yan and detailed why it's a "win-win" for him.

Despite initially having a little bad blood between them, 'The Baddy' and 'Sugar' have formed an unlikely friendship online and publicly root for one another inside the octagon. Similar to his 135lbs counterpart, the Brit has been almost flawless in his fights with the UFC and aims to break into the top 15 in the near future.

While speaking with Mike Tyson and Steve-O on the popular Hotboxin' podcast, Paddy Pimblett gave his opinion on the 27-year-old's matchup against Petr Yan and why he sees the "big step up" as a positive for Sean O'Malley:

"It's a big step up, but at the same time, it's a win-win for him. No one really expects him to win. Yeah, I do [want him to do well], he's sound. But yeah, it's a big jump up in competition, it is... If he wins this fight, he'll be the number one contender."

Petr Yan is still considered by many to be the best bantamweight in the world. While he does have a fascinating but effective striking style, the Russian would perhaps want to improve on his ground game, which was exploited by Aljamain Sterling in their second bout.

Check out what Paddy Pimblett had to say about Sean O'Malley's jump up in competition in the video below:

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Can Sean O'Malley beat Petr Yan?

Most MMA fans expect the young bantamweight to be in for a rude awakening when he stands across the octagon from Petr Yan on October 22. So, can he pull off an upset at UFC 280?

Sean O'Malley has a style that not many 135 pounders can deal with, as he expertly blends feints, spinning attacks, and pin-point accurate strikes to overwhelm and wear down his opponents.

Petr Yan is known for his incredible style that constantly punishes fighters who get caught in his range. One thing about the Russian athlete is that he is hittable, and although durable, he does take damage in most of his outings.

This is a problem as O'Malley loves damaging fighters on the feet, meaning he has a real chance of overcoming the odds and finishing 'No Mercy' in their three-round collision later this year.