Sean O’Malley has been on the brink of stardom since 2017 when “Sugar Show” appeared on Dana White’s Contender Series.
The question is, how far can he climb? And according to the current UFC bantamweight champion, he’s already close to the top. At UFC 306 media day on Wednesday, O’Malley acknowledged that Conor McGregor remains the promotion’s biggest attraction, but the Irishman’s lack of activity and success in recent years has made him a more attainable target.
“I think it’s coming soon. [to catching McGregor]”I think Conor has one more big fight in him, but the big question is can he come back and beat Michael Chandler? I think Conor has one more big fight in him, but if he loses his next fight, is it a six-fight losing streak or something?” O’Malley said. [His star power] It’s going to fade. It’s probably not going to. But it’s a huge testament to how big a star he is. If he loses, I’m still going to be there. I’m the guy. I’m No. 1.”
UFC 306: O’Malley vs. Dvalishvili airs Saturday at 10pm ET on ESPN+. Order now!
O’Malley has fought five times since McGregor broke his foot in a loss to Dustin Poirier at UFC 264 in July 2021. McGregor was scheduled to return against Chandler at UFC 303 in June, but a broken toe again delayed his return, which O’Malley says is a big difference between him and the former two-division champion.
“I pick fights,” O’Malley said. “I pick fights a lot. I think that’s where I am right now. Conor was good on the mic. The accent, the choice of words, he was good on the mic. Performances, he’s had some good performances. But I’m just solid right now. I pick fights a lot. That’s what I have.”
O’Malley will face Merab Dvalishvili on Saturday night at the Sphere in Las Vegas to headline the promotion’s highly anticipated pay-per-view. Due to the unique nature of the venue, the card has generated a lot of interest leading up to the event. If O’Malley performs well against Dvalishvili on Saturday, it should open up a wide range of possibilities for his next bout. Possibilities include Umar Nurmagomedov, Deiveson Figueiredo and Ilia Topuria, but with an opponent in front of him, O’Malley is undecided right now.
“I have a choice. It’s pointless right now,” he said. “I have to go out and take care of Merab. Then I have a choice.”
