UFC lightweight champion Sean O'Malley of the United States said he probably won't have his next fight until 2024 at the earliest.
JRE MMA quote O'Malley as saying:
I really, really did truly want to fight in December. Like when I called out ‘Chito’ (Marlon Vera) in December, but I talked to UFC and they kind of already had [plans]. They were trying to get Colby (Covington) and Leon (Edwards) together. I think UFC 300 is in April. That would be a sweet card to be on, but again, they’re not going [to want me as main event]. I’m going to guess [I’ll fight] before that, before UFC 300.
O'Malley, 28, had his last fight in August 2023 at UFC 292, where he won by second-round technical knockout over Aljamain Sterling in the main event. He has 17 wins and one loss on his record.
The next UFC 294 event will take place on October 21 in Abu Dhabi. In the main event of the evening, Russian fighter Islam Makhachev will fight Brazilian Charles Oliveira.