"I just see this being a sweet kickboxing match" - Sean O'Malley hints at avoiding grappling with Petr Yan

Sean O'Malley would prefer to fight Petr Yan on the feet and avoid grappling exchanges with the Russian in their upcoming bantamweight showdown at UFC 280 next month.

Speaking to The Schmo, 'Sugar' acknowledged the superior grappling defense his next opponent possesses and revealed that he hopes to keep it a stand-up battle despite being a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt. Here's what O'Malley said:

"I would get the same satisfaction choking out Petr Yan [as knocking him out] but I definitely I just see this being a sweet kickboxing match. I've said that since the fight's been announced. Aljamain's grappling is extremely high level and for Aljo to take Petr's back and have that defense shows how good Petr is with being able to defend Aljo from choking him."

Watch Sean O'Malley discuss his fight against Petr Yan below:

Petr Yan certainly has a solid takedown defense and has shown the depth of his defensive wrestling game against top level grapplers. While 'No Mercy' has also displayed some offensive ground skills throughout his career, he possesses a famously impressive striking skillset. The Russian also has a high-pressure style and is an excellent counter puncher, which may pose problems for O'Malley.

However, 'Sugar' is a dangerous striker in his own right, having stopped all three of his opponents before a no-contest against Pedro Munhoz in July.

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Sean O'Malley predicts a decision or stoppage win over Petr Yan

Sean O'Malley will take a major leap in competition as he takes on the No.1-ranked Petr Yan at UFC 280 on October 22 in Abu Dhabi. However, the rising sensation is highly confident in his abilities and sees the fight ending in one of two ways.

During his aforementioned interview with The Schmo, 'Sugar' gave away a part of his game plan going into the bout and predicted that it could either end in a decision or a stoppage win for him. Here's what O'Malley said:

"I'd be surprised if I didn't drop him early, if I'm being honest. I'm going to connect over and over and over again on his chin. And I plan on dropping him early. He's super tough, very durable. I could see it going to decision, I could also see me putting his lights out."

Ranked No.12 in the divisional rankings, Sean O'Malley is unbeaten in his last four bouts with his sole career loss coming against Marlon Vera in August 2020. With a win over Petr Yan, 'Sugar' will look to elevate himself straight into title contention and prove his legitimacy as a top-level bantamweight.