Sean O'Malley boldly declared that he would become bigger than Conor McGregor the biggest star the UFC has ever seen.
Sean O’Malley boldly declared that he would become bigger than Conor McGregor the biggest star the UFC has ever seen. At the time, his assertion was met with skepticism and criticism but O’Malley held onto his conviction. Fast forward six years and O’Malley’s journey has led him to become the new UFC bantamweight champion dethroning Aljamain Sterling with a second-round TKO at UFC 292.
O’Malley’s rise to the top has been marked by his trash talk and flashy knockouts a trajectory reminiscent of McGregor’s career. The Irishman was fast-tracked to a featherweight title shot in 2015 knocking out Jose Aldo in 13 seconds to become champion and later securing the lightweight title. O’Malley believes he’s on the cusp of reaching that level of stardom.
Recalling the initial skepticism he faced, O’Malley stated, “I remember sitting there vividly doing an interview telling people I will be bigger than Conor McGregor. I got a lot of crap for it. There was definitely a lot of hate online saying, like, ‘Come on, man, that’s not realistic.’ But in my mind, it was.“
While acknowledging that he’s not quite at McGregor’s level yet. O’Malley believes that one more knockout victory could propel him into the stratosphere of superstardom. He recognizes that defending his title and delivering a spectacular knockout in his first title defense could be a significant step toward achieving that status.
However, O’Malley’s aspirations don’t stop there. He’s open to pursuing multiple paths to elevate his career. Much like McGregor’s blueprint, O’Malley is considering the possibility of moving up weight classes to claim a second belt. He expressed interest in a potential bout at 145 pounds especially if the current featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski is no longer holding the belt.
O’Malley’s ambitions extend beyond the octagon, as he also contemplates venturing into the realm of boxing. He’s intrigued by the idea of facing Gervonta Davis a prominent name in boxing and a protégé of Floyd Mayweather. Standing at 5-foot-3, Davis would offer an intriguing challenge for O’Malley who is known for his striking prowess.
“I think there’s a couple ways of (reaching McGregor status),” O’Malley explained. “Defending the belt obviously is one way. Putting a beautiful knockout on for my first title defense would do that. Moving up a weight class, but I’m not trying to fight Alexander Volkanovski. Hopefully, he’s fighting Ilia Topuria. If Ilia goes out there and beats Volk, I would love to move up to 145 and fight Ilia. If Gervonta Davis – you know he’s (5-foot-3), that’s a fight that interests me.”
For more UFC news and updates
Read: UFC 292: Preview, Prediction, Fight Card, Venue, Where to Watch, and Tickets
Read: UFC 292 results: Sean O’Malley Claims UFC Bantamweight Title with stunning finish
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