Sean O’Malley Admits Defeat in Chase to Beat Conor McGregor’s Superstardom

UFC bantamweight star Sean O'Malley believes he can never beat Conor McGregor's superstar status.

Sean O’Malley Admits Defeat in Chase to Beat Conor McGregor’s Superstardom

Sean O'Malley talks about Conor McGregor's stardom (via Imago)

When it comes to superstardom, nobody even comes remotely close to the former UFC double champion Conor McGregor. The Irishman is a global icon who elevated the sport to new heights and completely changed the game forever with unmatched impact. His journey inspired many fighters like Sean O’Malley to chase him, hoping to eventually become a sporting icon by dominating the UFC.

Following McGregor’s inactivity, he left a massive hole when it comes to superstar-driven pay-per-view events and global appeal. O’Malley searched for more fame as he wanted superstardom, aiming to become a bigger star and fill that gap. In a recent interview with FULL SEND PODCAST, O’Malley shared details about how beating McGregor’s legacy didn’t go as planned.

I always kind of put myself out there. I want to be as big as Conor McGregor. I don’t think I could be as big as Conor. He was once in a lifetime.

Sean O’Malley via Full Send Podcast

Throughout his career, O’Malley was often accused of copying McGregor’s model due to his flashy knockouts and confident trash-talking personality. Many fans noticed striking similarities in their approaches, including fight promotion, walkouts, clothing style, and their shared obsession with spectacular finishes.

Despite the criticism, O’Malley insisted he was simply inspired and always aimed to build his own unique legacy. However, over the last year, O’Malley has been on a beef with McGregor after exchanging a few heated insults online.

‘Suga’ called out the ‘Notorious’ for being an addict and alcoholic who can’t be at the top anymore. Nevertheless, as O’Malley mentioned, all this hasn’t impacted McGregor’s overall stardom as fans are still excited about the potential of his comeback.

There were signs the fighter might return, but recent updates now suggest the ‘Notorious’ is truly finished with professional fighting. He was previously linked to high-profile boxing matches, yet none of those talks ever developed into anything solid or meaningful. Despite retiring, the Irishman remains constantly in the spotlight, a level of attention O’Malley hasn’t yet managed to earn.

Sean O’Malley talks about his upcoming title fight

In 2023, Sean O’Malley shocked everyone by becoming the UFC bantamweight champion by knocking out Aljamain Sterling. Following that, at UFC 299, he successfully defended his belt against Marlon Vera and was able to put on a striking masterclass. Given his popularity, UFC pushed him further and gave him the opportunity to headline UFC 306 and defend against Merab Dvalishvili.

Sean O'Malley shares details about his rivalry with Merab Dvalishvili
Sean O’Malley shares details about his rivalry with Merab Dvalishvili (via MMA Fighting)

Unfortunately, the fighter looked very flat in the main event and lost his title via unanimous decision. Going into the fight, there was some animosity between both the fighters but that didn’t necessarily help O’Malley. In a recent interview, the fighter shared how he had to pretend to hate Dvalishvili in order to sell the pay-per-view event.

I was like, I’m gonna carry that [animosity from Vera fight] into the Merab [fight]. I almost forced myself to not like Merab, but it wasn’t genuine… And this camp, I have nothing against Merab. I want to go out there and compete because I love to compete. I’m an athlete, I’m a high-level performer. I want to go out there and put on a beautiful performance because I love this sport not, necessarily because I don’t like Merab.

Sean O’Malley via Full Send Podcast

Currently, O’Malley is scheduled to fight Dvalishvili for the second time at the upcoming UFC 316. Many fans and experts have raised questions about how O’Malley got an unfair opportunity, but the UFC doesn’t really care. This time, ‘Suga’ has made some much-needed changes in his fighting style and is looking forward to taking his ultimate revenge.

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