Sean O’Malley Apologizes for ‘Racist’ COVID-19 Joke During Song Yadong Face-Off

Sean O'Malley apologizes to Song Yadong for wearing a mask to their initial face off for their upcoming UFC 324 bout.

Sean O’Malley Apologizes for ‘Racist’ COVID-19 Joke During Song Yadong Face-Off

Sean O'Malley apologizes to Song Yadong (via Bloody Elbow)

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Sean O’Malley’s rise in the UFC made him one of the sport’s most marketable superstars, blending skill with a strong social media presence. His persona was evident during the inaugural UFC 324 face‑offs with Song Yadong, where he wore a mask. The gesture, meant as a light‑hearted joke, sparked discussion about its impact. However, O’Malley recently apologized for unintentionally offending observers.

O’Malley is known for trash talk and mind games to get inside opponents’ heads, which boosted his popularity. His approach helped him capture the bantamweight title at UFC 292 by defeating Aljamain Sterling. Consecutive losses to Merab Dvalishvili caused him to lose the title and stall his momentum. The setbacks led him to take a break from active competition to focus on his mindset and return.

O’Malley planned to return with his ‘Suga’ persona by wearing a mask at UFC 324 during the inaugural face‑offs against Yadong. The gesture sparked backlash, with Yadong calling the action racist due to his country facing COVID‑19 scrutiny. The incident gained widespread media attention ahead of the fight. O’Malley later clarified his intent and issued an apology for any offense caused.

My intentions were never harmful,. It’s supposed to be a little silly joke. It was that and it got taken out of context. I apologize if I offended anybody.

‘Suga’ has often said he was influenced by UFC superstar Conor McGregor, known for his polarizing trash talk and mind games. He adopted similar tactics to play psychological games with his opponents. However, O’Malley recently indicated he wants to focus more on his career and fighting achievements. He is shifting away from trying to emulate McGregor‑level stardom and building his own path.

This was not the first time Yadong had addressed controversy involving COVID-19-related criticism. He previously responded to former UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland after comments that blamed Chinese people for the pandemic. Yadong pushed back against those accusations, criticizing what he viewed as unnecessary stereotyping rather than focusing on competition.

The UFC 324 bout will mark Sean O’Malley’s return to the Octagon after nearly seven months away from competition. It represents a significant moment as he looks to rebuild momentum following recent setbacks. His public apology to Yadong also highlighted a different side of the ‘Suga’ persona. While he is known for mind games, he made clear that hurting cultural sentiments was never his intention.

Bantamweight veteran weighs in on Sean O’Malley vs Song Yadong

Sean O’Malley’s striking prowess has been central to his UFC success, delivering high-profile wins over Aljamain Sterling and Petr Yan. His precision, timing, and range control have consistently defined his rise at bantamweight. Song Yadong, by contrast, has experienced a more uneven run in recent outings. He enters UFC 324 following a closely contested and widely debated bout with Henry Cejudo.

Cory Sandhagen talks about Song Yadong vs Sean O'Malley
Cory Sandhagen talks about Song Yadong vs Sean O’Malley (via Yahoo Sports, Reddit)

Cory Sandhagen is a longtime veteran of the UFC bantamweight division with experience at the highest level. He recently challenged for the title against former champion Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 320 but came up short. Sandhagen has also fought in the octagon against Song Yadong back in 2022. With that experience, he recently analyzed the matchup between O’Malley and Yadong at UFC 324.

I watched literally all of their fights back… I have O’Malley winning that one. Song’s biggest problem is that he lunges and leaps into his bigger shots. Unless you mess up against Song and get too close, which O’Malley just doesn’t really do. Song has a really hard time reaching people. With O’Malley’s build and style, it’s going to be a really, really tough fight for Song, unless Song wrestles and makes it a little dirty. But he’s kind of not that guy either.

Cory Sandhagen via The Ariel Helwani Show

Sandhagen and O’Malley have been at odds for several years, though a matchup between them has never materialized. Sandhagen has recently renewed calls for a bout with O’Malley, targeting the proposed White House event. The rivalry has remained active despite diverging career paths. However, Sean O’Malley is focused on title ambitions and is expected to pursue a title shot with a win at UFC 324.

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