“It’ll always be hard to top McGregor. But when I think about the faces of the company, because of his durability and his activity, it’s Alex Pereira now—the face of the UFC. He’s getting there. He hasn’t passed Sean O’Malley yet, but he could do it,” Daniel Cormier said last year, compared to UFC’s two current star power players, Sean O’Malley and Alex Pereira. Cormier compared their star power to that of the “one and only,” Conor McGregor, who firmly established his legacy in MMA.
However, crossing that bridge—veiled in volcanic lava—continues to be an unattainable feat, as every fighter’s attempt has fallen short. It has been nearly four years since the Irishman’s last stepped into the Octagon in 2021, when he suffered a career-changing injury at UFC 264 during his trilogy bout against Dustin Poirier. Despite multiple attempts to return, including a nearly scheduled fight against Michael Chandler at UFC 303, nothing has yet paved the way for his comeback, and there remains no clear sign of when he will fight again.
The void left by his absence continues to feel impossible to fill anytime soon. That said, in 2023, during an appearance on the Over Dogs podcast, Jon Jones placed Sean O’Malley on the same pedestal as Conor McGregor when it comes to “exciting” fighters. ‘Bones’, echoing popular opinion, said of O’Malley,
“I’m most excited about Sean O’Malley. I’m excited about him. I think he has the look. He reminds me a lot of McGregor. I like him a lot, and I really want to see how far he can take it. He’s young enough still to really make those leaps and bounds in this game and be around for a long time.”
However, little did Jon Jones know back in 2023 that Sean O’Malley’s star power would suffer a major setback in 2024. When he faced Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 306 inside the billion-dollar Sphere, O’Malley’s once exciting fight turned into a lackluster performance. Dvalishvili not only dethroned him from the bantamweight division but also broke him down, dealing a significant blow to his confidence and dignity.
Now, Sean O’Malley is determined to reclaim his title from Merab Dvalishvili in their highly anticipated rematch at UFC 316 this weekend. As he prepares for this crucial fight, O’Malley is taking notes from Conor McGregor’s comeback journey, aiming to rise stronger than ever.
Sean O’Malley Draws Inspiration from Conor McGregor for UFC 316 Return
Ahead of his highly anticipated comeback fight, Sean O’Malley is determined to set things right—even if it means putting an end to the animosity with his former idol, Conor McGregor. From the very beginning, O’Malley regarded the Irishman as a source of inspiration, someone he admired deeply. But last year, things soured when officials found boxing star Ryan Garcia guilty of using PEDs. O’Malley publicly criticized Garcia, who shares a friendly relationship with McGregor.
That criticism triggered a sharp verbal response from Conor McGregor, turning their once-mutual respect into a public rivalry. Eventually, however, ‘The Notorious’ softened his stance and chose not to escalate the tension any further. Now, O’Malley is ready to leave the past behind. Having emerged from adversity, surgery, and a long recovery process, he’s refocused—and once again drawing motivation from the Irishman’s legendary career, particularly his iconic performance at UFC 194.
“I’ve taken so much f—— inspiration from Conor,”O’Malley reflected, speaking with fellow UFC star Israel Adesanya on Thursday. “I’ve taken so much from Conor. Watching his career play out and just the confidence he had to say what he was going to go out there and do, and go out there and do it.”
With UFC 316 just around the corner, what’s your take on Sean O’Malley channeling Conor McGregor’s mindset ahead of his rematch? Can ‘The Notorious’s influence fuel O’Malley’s quest to reclaim the bantamweight title and topple the relentless Merab Dvalishvili? Drop your predictions for the UFC 316 main event below.
The post Jon Jones Likens Sean O’Malley to His Idol Conor McGregor in Unexpected Confession Before UFC 316 appeared first on EssentiallySports.
