O’Malley’s $1M ‘No Rules’ Challenge to Devin Haney
Sean O’Malley’s 2024 $1 million challenge to Devin Haney never became a fight. O’Malley later beat Song Yadong and Aiemann Zahabi.
How the callout began
At UFC 306 on September 14, 2024, Dvalishvili defeated O’Malley by unanimous decision to take the title. Haney commented on O’Malley’s loss online, and the two traded insults. O’Malley then floated putting a million dollars on himself in a fight, suggesting MMA rules or an unrestricted format. Haney countered with a boxing contest, disputing the proposed purse. The exchange was a challenge and reply, not negotiations between promoters or an agreed bout. MMA Fighting reported the exchange.
The rules were central to the disagreement. O’Malley is an MMA fighter whose game includes wrestling and grappling; Haney is a professional boxer. A boxing match would favor Haney’s specialist experience, while an MMA contest would introduce skills outside his boxing career. No venue, date, sanctioning body or shared terms were announced, so the million-dollar figure was part of O’Malley’s public challenge rather than a confirmed offer for a contracted fight.
Their careers moved on
O’Malley later fought Dvalishvili again at UFC 316 in June 2025 and lost by submission. He returned at UFC 324 in January 2026 and beat Song Yadong by unanimous decision, then knocked out Aiemann Zahabi at UFC Freedom 250 in June. The UFC 324 report and UFC Freedom 250 results confirm both wins.
Haney also added to his boxing résumé: in November 2025 he defeated Brian Norman Jr. by unanimous decision to win the WBO welterweight title, according to the WBO. The WBO ordered a mandatory defense against Keyshawn Davis in 2026, but Davis withdrew in August before the fight was scheduled. Reuters reported the withdrawal. The two men have different competitive schedules and weight classes to navigate if a crossover bout were ever reconsidered.
The 2024 back-and-forth remains a memorable example of MMA and boxing stars trading online challenges, but it never became a fight announcement. O’Malley’s $1 million line and Haney’s boxing counteroffer showed the basic obstacle: before any matchup could happen, they would need to agree on rules, weight, purse and promotion. For now, the callout belongs to the history of fight-week talk rather than either man’s record.
Sources
Tags: Wrestling, Olympic Wrestling
