Sean O'Malley on Conor McGregor: 'I'm pumped the relationship is back to good'
Sean O'Malley on Conor McGregor: 'I'm pumped the relationship is back to good'
MORRISTOWN, N.J. – UFC stars Sean O'Malley and Conor McGregor are back on good terms.
Ahead of his title-fight rematch against bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili (19-4 MMA, 12-2 UFC) in Saturday's UFC 316 (pay-per-view, ESPN, ESPN+) headliner at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., O'Malley (18-2 MMA, 10-2 UFC) has been watching some rematches as he attempts to regain his title.
One of those rematches was McGregor vs. Nate Diaz, in which "The Notorious" was able to avenge his UFC 196 loss to Diaz by defeating him by majority decision at UFC 202. McGregor took to X to comment on O'Malley's prep.
"Very reminiscent of my Diaz 2 prep. Intriguing! BIG FIGHT FEEL!."
O'Malley always looked up to former UFC dual-champ McGregor, but things turned weird between the pair last year when McGregor took a shot at him for testing positive for ostarine in 2019. O'Malley was disappointed to be targeted by McGregor, leading to some shots at each other on social media.
With McGregor back praising him, O'Malley is happy to reconcile.
"Hell yeah, I'll take it," O'Malley told MMA Junkie and other reporters of McGregor on Wednesday. "I'll forever be a huge Conor fan. I feel grateful to be able to watch his come-up in my generation. I watched it happen. I think we'll look back – I mean he had one of the craziest careers. It's cool to be able to watch it happen while I was getting into the UFC and everything. I'm pumped the relationship is back to good."
O'Malley was asked why he watched McGregor vs. Diaz 2 in particular, considering that it's a different stylistic matchup than his rematch with Dvalishvili.
"So I was watching Conor-Nate. I've just been watching a bunch of fights," O'Malley. "We just have cameras recording so much. I didn't realize that was a moment that got captured. I've just been watching a bunch of fights, been watching some rematches, watched Chuck (Liddell) vs. Randy (Couture). ... I've always taken inspiration from Conor fights. I've watched Conor fights more than probably any fights – well, my fights more, but I've watched a lot of Conor fights."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
29 minutes ago
- USA Today
UFC 317 live updates: Time, streaming for Ilia Topuria vs. Charles Oliveira card
Former UFC Lightweight Champion Charles Oliveira has another shot at the title. Oliveira (35-10-0) will face off against former UFC Featherweight Champion Ilia Oliveira (16-0-0) at UFC 317 for the Lightweight title, which was vacated after champion Islam Makhachev moved up to the Welterweight division. Oliveira previously held the UFC Featherweight title from May 2021 to May 2022, when he was stripped of the belt ahead of his second title defense after missing weight by half a pound. It marked the first time in UFC history that a defending champion lost a title due to missing weight. Meanwhile, Topuria vacated his Featherweight title in April to move up to lightweight. USA TODAY Sports will have live updates and analysis through the night so follow here: UFC 317: Time, PPV, streaming for Oliveira vs. Oliveira The match between Charles Oliveira and Ilia Oliveira will take place on Saturday, June 28 and can be purchased on ESPN+ PPV. Catch UFC action with an ESPN+ subscription
USA Today
31 minutes ago
- USA Today
Report: No certainty 2025-26 season will be LeBron James' last in NBA
Sunday, June 29, is the deadline for LeBron James to let the Los Angeles Lakers know whether he intends to play on the final year of his contract, which would expire a year from now, or opt out in order to sign a slightly longer new contract. He has a $52.6 million player option for next season. Many seem to think that if he opts in to the player option, next season will be his last in the NBA. It would be his 23rd campaign in the league, which would set a new record, and he could very well continue to play at a superstar level after making the All-NBA Second Team this season. But according to ESPN's Dave McMenamin, there is "no certainty" that next season will be James' finale. "But before his return to the court, he had been training in the weight room with his son, Lakers guard Bronny James, sources told ESPN, their first extended offseason together after last summer's Paris Olympics," McMenamin wrote. "And while James has considered retirement every offseason since 2023, a source familiar with James' thinking told ESPN that at this point, James is not entering next season with any certainty that it will be his last." James, 40, averaged 24.4 points, 8.2 assists and 7.8 rebounds a game this season and continued to shoot well from both the field and from beyond the 3-point line. He has apparently recovered from a MCL sprain he reportedly suffered in the Lakers' final playoff game and was seen back on the court last weekend.
USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
Steelers coach admits Aaron Rodgers is tough on receivers — but welcomes the challenge
Aaron Rodgers is known for demanding perfection of wide receivers, but Steelers WR coach Zach Azzanni isn't backing down from it — he welcomes the challenge. Speaking to ESPN's Brooke Pryor, Azzanni explained why he doesn't just tolerate Rodgers intensity with the receivers — he embraces it: "I love that challenge," Azzanni said. "I like that. I'd rather have someone that's dialed into the detail in the perimeter, and those guys ultimately have to be on the same page. I understand that he's hard on receivers, and I like that because I'm hard on receivers." Arguably, the most infamous example of his demanding nature was evident in his public criticism of then-Jets WR Mike Williams for running the wrong route — which led the wide receiver taking subtle jabs at the quarterback on social media. Former Super Bowl champion DE Chris Long warned that DK Metcalf could find himself in Rodgers' crosshairs if he can't meet his expectations — but clearly, Azzanni is excited for the opportunity for his receivers to be held to a higher standard. For up-to-date Steelers coverage, follow us on X @TheSteelersWire and give our Facebook page a like.
