“Don’t bring racism into this sport”: Song Yadong slams Sean O’Malley after mask incident at UFC 324

Song Yadong has strongly condemned what he sees as an inappropriate pre-fight taunt from Sean O'Malley, and is calling on the former champion to leave the racism out of mixed martial arts. The conflict arose as early promotion for UFC 324 began, where the two fighters are set to face each other in a pivotal bantamweight matchup.

“Don’t bring the racism into this sport,” Song said at the UFC 324 media day. Things went downhill from there when O'Malley showed up for their faceoff in a surgical-style mask, a decision that was quickly slammed on X (formerly Twitter). The action was taken by some fans as a reference to Song's Chinese ethnicity, and it has resulted in backlash and shifted the focus of the fight away from the sporting competition. With the discussion spiralling out of control, Song eventually tapped into it during his media obligations, taking a dim view of trash talk in some aspects of the sport.

Song Yadong addresses the controversy and calls for respect

Speaking with reporters, Song Yadong expressed disappointment with the incident and reiterated that MMA is supposed to be a respectable sport. He said there is a lot of psychological playing in the UFC, but added that race or nationality should never be involved in promotion.

Song said he had no vendetta against Sean O'Malley personally, but his stance was clear. He said he not only represents himself but also his country and fans, and that he wanted to address it. Song said O'Malley later apologised for the incident, saying the salute was poorly thought out and that he did not mean to offend.


But while the distraction is present, Song stated that his priority is the fight. He went on to say that he thinks his performance in the Octagon will speak for itself and that a good showing will be the best answer.

Sean O’Malley responds as UFC 324 showdown approaches

Sean O'Malley responded a few interviews later to the blowback, claiming the mask was meant as a joke, not a racial comment. He said he understood the reaction but "deeply regretted" how it appeared. O'Malley said he also respects Song as a fighter and isn't trying to insult him or his culture.

Now that the controversy seems addressed, that brings us back to the game itself. While both fighters work to bounce back and get back into the title picture, this bout has major implications for the bantamweight division.


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