"I'm getting the fight that I wanted" - Sean O'Malley set to face Petr Yan at UFC 280 in Abu Dhabi

Sean O'Malley and Petr Yan will clash in an October bout on pay-per-view. 'Sugar' was dipping his toe into the top ten last time out and is now diving into the deep end in a shark tank of a division.

Speaking to Ryan Clark for ESPN MMA, O'Malley got into how he views this looming matchup against Petr Yan, the magnitude of the PPV card he's on and so much more.

O'Malley said:

"I'm getting the fight that I wanted. The fight that people want. I'm fighting Petr Yan on October 22 in Abu Dhabi. I'm so excited for this. I almost can't even believe it's real. It's happening. Yeah, Petr Yan, October 22."

Asked later on about the problems that Yan presents, O'Malley said:

"The way Petr beat Jose Aldo was one of my favorite performances of Petr Yan's. So going in there and stepping up against a guy like Petr, it's exciting, it's motivating. It's the biggest fight in the bantamweight division right now. I think it's bigger than Aljo vs TJ."

Watch the video below:

Yan represents by far the stiffest test of Sean O'Malley's career. He has previously held the lineal and interim versions of the UFC bantamweight world title.

'No Mercy' is coming off a pair of defeats to Aljamain Sterling, but he claimed the interim belt from Cory Sandhagen at UFC 267 in the middle of those two losses.

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Sean O'Malley's road to UFC 280

'Sugar' last competed against Pedro Munhoz at UFC 276 on July 2. The high-level bantamweight contest ended inauspiciously via an errant eye poke which led to the fight being dubbed a no contest. Even though Munhoz seemed interested in pursuing a rematch, 'Sugar' seemed to claim the fight as a win.

Before that no contest, O'Malley put together a three-fight winning streak in which he ran through his opponents to claim three stoppages. Every single one of his three finishes came by way of strikes.

'Sugar' said in the above interview that he felt Yan is essentially one-and-one versus Sterling.

UFC 280 also features a fight for the vacant UFC lightweight world championship when former titleholder Charles Oliveira battles Islam Makhachev. Even though the event is months away, the card is shaping up to be one of the biggest events of the calendar year.