Sean O’Malley, who has always openly admired Conor McGregor as a role model for his own career path in the UFC, recently went through a period of tension with the Irish superstar.
The friction began after McGregor publicly mentioned O’Malley alongside boxer Ryan Garcia. This came after Garcia tested positive for the same banned substance that had previously affected the former UFC bantamweight champion, leading to his win over Devin Haney being changed to a no-contest. The two fighters exchanged numerous harsh words through interviews and on social media. However, it now appears they have successfully resolved their disagreement.
In preparation for his upcoming rematch against Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 316, O’Malley watched various fights for inspiration. Among them was McGregor`s thrilling 2016 rematch against Nate Diaz, where the former two-division champion avenged his initial Octagon loss. Following this, McGregor commented that he was “very excited” for O’Malley’s rematch and praised his similar approach to preparation, drawing a parallel to his own experience avenging a loss to Diaz.
Reacting to McGregor’s positive comments during UFC 316 media day, O’Malley stated, “Hell yeah, I’ll take it. I’ll forever be a huge Conor fan.”
He added, “I feel grateful to be able to watch his come up in my generation, I watched it happen. I think we’ll look back, he had one of the craziest careers. It’s cool to be able to watch it happen while I was getting into the UFC and everything. I’m pumped the relationship is back to good.”
O’Malley clarified that McGregor wasn’t the only fighter he studied while getting ready to face Dvalishvili.
While McGregor vs. Diaz 2 was certainly part of his viewing list, O’Malley mentioned that he reviewed many other rematches and past performances to gain insight as he aims to defeat Dvalishvili and reclaim the bantamweight title.
“So I was watching Conor-Nate — I’ve just been watching a bunch of fights, we just have cameras recording so much, I didn’t realize that was a moment that got captured,” O’Malley explained. “I’ve been watching a bunch of fights.”
He continued, “I’ve been watching some rematches, watched Chuck [Liddell] versus Randy [Couture]. I’ve never watched Chuck Liddell fights. Obviously, I knew who he was, but I’ve never [watched his fights]. So I’ve been watching a lot of old school fights, it’s been cool.”
Nonetheless, O’Malley continues to hold immense admiration for McGregor and his path to global fame, becoming the first fighter in UFC history to simultaneously hold two titles (lightweight and featherweight).
From his captivating presence outside the cage to his explosive performances inside it, O’Malley recognizes the value in studying McGregor at the height of his career.
“I’ve always taken inspiration from Conor fights,” O’Malley concluded. “I’ve watched Conor fights more than probably any [fights] — well [I watch] my fights more — but I’ve watched a lot of Conor fights.”
