TJ Dillashaw says Sean O’Malley is “good for the sport” but expects Petr Yan will be able to “run through him” at UFC 280

TJ Dillashaw has explained why he thinks Petr Yan will be able to defeat Sean O’Malley when they clash at UFC 280.

Later this year in Abu Dhabi, Petr Yan and Sean O’Malley will meet in a huge grudge match at bantamweight. The two have been going back and forth at one another for quite some time and despite how far apart they are in the rankings, the UFC has decided to strike while the iron is hot by booking them against one another.

Later that same night, the UFC bantamweight championship will be on the like when Aljamain Sterling defends the strap against TJ Dillashaw.

Dillashaw, who is a former two-time champion at 135 pounds, has given his thoughts on how O’Malley vs Yan will go down on Fight Island.

“Yeah, absolutely surprised [by the booking] for sure,” Dillashaw said. “O’Malley has never done anything to fight a guy of Petr Yan’s caliber, other than hype himself up. He does have a lot of fans, he does have a lot of hype, and he’s worked his ass off to get that. Part of the sport is being a salesman, and he’s done a very good job with that.

“So, he’s great for the sport. He’s great for our weight class and bringing a lot of attention. I don’t see him winning, but he’s got some range on him, and he’s got a pace, and we’ll see. But most likely Yan is going to be able to run through him.”

Quotes via MMA Junkie

What do you think is going to happen when Sean O’Malley meets Petr Yan at UFC 280? Do you agree with the assessment of TJ Dillashaw? Can Aljamain Sterling leave the PPV as the king of the bantamweights? Let us know your thoughts down in the comments, BJPENN Nation!