Sean O’Malley is openly pleased that his relationship with fellow UFC superstar Conor McGregor has improved. O`Malley has long admired McGregor, viewing him as a significant role model for his own career, but the two fighters recently experienced a period of public friction.
The disagreement originated when McGregor mentioned O’Malley alongside boxer Ryan Garcia after Garcia tested positive for a substance, drawing a parallel to a past issue O’Malley faced. This sparked a series of public exchanges of harsh words between O`Malley and McGregor through interviews and social media. However, it now appears their conflict has been successfully resolved.
While preparing for his rematch against Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 316, O’Malley reviewed many fights for inspiration, including McGregor’s memorable 2016 rematch against Nate Diaz, a fight where McGregor avenged his first octagon loss. Following this, McGregor publicly expressed his excitement for O’Malley’s upcoming rematch and offered praise, noting similarities in their approach to avenging a defeat.
Responding to McGregor’s positive remarks during UFC 316 media day, O’Malley stated he was grateful to accept the praise and affirmed his lasting admiration for McGregor. He added that he felt fortunate to witness McGregor`s career ascent during his own generation, considering it one of the most remarkable careers in the sport. O`Malley expressed happiness that their relationship has returned to a good state.
O’Malley clarified that while McGregor vs. Diaz 2 was among the fights he studied, it wasn`t the only one. He reviewed numerous rematches and past performances to draw inspiration for his fight against Dvalishvili, as he aims to reclaim the bantamweight title.
Discussing his preparation further, O`Malley explained his viewing habits, stating, “I’ve just been watching a bunch of fights.” He specifically mentioned reviewing various rematches, citing watching Chuck Liddell versus Randy Couture, noting he hadn`t seen Liddell`s fights before despite knowing him. He described watching these older fights as “cool.”
Despite studying other fighters, O’Malley maintains significant admiration for McGregor, particularly his historic achievement as the first UFC fighter to hold two titles simultaneously (lightweight and featherweight). O`Malley believes there`s always valuable insight to be gained from observing McGregor`s career peak, from his public persona outside the cage to his dynamic performances inside the octagon.
O`Malley concluded by emphasizing the importance of studying McGregor, stating he has “always taken inspiration from Conor fights” and has watched McGregor`s fights frequently, perhaps more than any other fighter`s, aside from watching his own fights.
Marcus Blakely