Sean O'Malley could be a "sniper" to dismantle Petr Yan's close-range fighting style, says Laura Sanko

L-R: Sean O'Malley, Petr Yan, and Laura Sanko [Photo credit: laura_s-anko on Instagram]

Laura Sanko is of the opinion that Sean O'Malley could beat former UFC bantamweight champion Petr Yan against all odds.

O'Malley will take on what is arguably the biggest test of his career when he meets 'No Mercy' in the octagon at UFC 280. Most observers believe O'Malley won't stand a chance against the former titleholder.

However, according to Sanko, what many perceive as a death sentence for O'Malley could be an opportunity for the up-and-comer. Speaking about the matchup during an interview with James Lynch of Sportskeeda MMA, Sanko said:

"Sean O'Malley has a skillset that people continue to sleep on, I think just because of who he is and how willing he is to say he's unbeaten or he's this or that. People get irritated with stuff like that but the fact is the guy is really, really good and I think he has a chance to be a little bit of a sniper against Petr Yan, who works a little bit of a closer range."

Check out our full interview with Laura Sanko below:

Standing at 5ft11, O'Malley will enjoy a significant height advantage over 5ft7 Yan. The 27-year-old will have a massive five-inch reach advantage over the Russian.

O'Malley and Yan will collide on the main card of UFC 280. The event is set to take place on October 22, 2022, at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Laura Sanko thinks Petr Yan will test how good Sean O'Malley is

Sean O'Malley is undoubtedly one of the most popular fighters on the UFC roster. However, critics continue to doubt the 27-year-old as he is yet to face a top contender.

According to Sanko, fighting Petr Yan should finally answer questions about O'Malley's status. The UFC presenter told Sportskeeda MMA:

"The fact is that he's gotten this high in the division and there's still kind of this like we don't really know exactly how good he is. I think we should, but we don't. For some reason, we all have the feeling that we're still not sure. I love that."

Check out the tweet below:

Here are the opening odds for Petr Yan vs. Sean O'Malley:

Petr Yan -400 (1/4)
Sean O’Malley +300 (3/1)

(odds via @betonline_ag) 👀 #UFC280 https://t.co/LVfOqwDqii

As things stand, O'Malley is regarded by oddsmakers as a sizeable underdog. Gambling site Betonline.ag has 'Sugar' opening as a +300 underdog, while Yan is pegged as the -400 favorite.