Conor McGregor really does like Sean O’Malley.
Earlier this month, the Irish megastar surprised everyone when he took a dig at the UFC bantamweight champion shortly after news had broke that boxer Ryan Garcia had tested positive for the banned substance Ostarine following his clash with Devin Haney.
O’Malley was infamously flagged for using the same substance in 2018, earning a six-month suspension from the United States Anti-Doping Agency.
Taking to social media, McGregor lumped Garcia and ‘Sugar’ together as a couple of cheaters, a comment that legitimately hurt O’Malley’s feelings.
During a recent live stream with Duelbits.com, McGregor revealed that he has no ill will toward O’Malley and explained that the Helena, Montana native simply got caught in the crosshairs of one of his online tirades.
“I like Sean O’Malley… he kinda got caught in the crosshairs. He also said something like he’d beat me. Not in his wildest dreams, but I do like Sean,” McGregor said. “I had spoken to Sean at a football stadium in California and he was being influenced by this boxing approach where you pick and choose your matches. He was saying he wouldn’t fight people above his category and I went and saw him when he was in this mode and I said to him, ‘Are you the best? Are you the world champion? Because unless you’re the world champion, who cares who it’s against? You should go until you’re the world champion. Fight anyone and everyone at any given moment.’ That’s what I’d done.
“And since then he fought Petr Yan, he ‘Chito’ Vera, Aljamain Sterling. He’s doing it and I was happy with that, but it is what it is. You can’t be using performance-enhancing drugs in competition. O’Malley has been nice to me and I know I motivated him, as I’ve done with many people, so we’ll figure it out.”
Conor McGregor explains his comments towards Sean O'Malley, and says he actually likes Sean:
"I like Sean O'Malley… he kinda got caught in the cross hairs. He also said something like he'd beat me. Not in his wildest dreams…
O'Malley has been nice to me and I know I… pic.twitter.com/wRqoI9HxsI
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) May 20, 2024
However, the former two-division champion was not nearly as cordial while talking about the UFC’s current 145-pound king, Ilia Topuria.
“F*ck him too. I don’t give a f*ck about him either. He reminds me of that little retard Artem Lobov. Two little retards. Topuria for me is a non-champion in my opinion,” McGregor said while speaking about Topuria. “He might have a strap but it’s a meaningless strap in my opinion… I don’t see any attraction to it.”
Conor McGregor DOES NOT like Ilia Topuria 😭
"Topuria for me is a non-champion in my opinion. He might have a strap but it's a meaningless strap in my opinion… I don't see any attraction to it."
🎥 @Duelbits #UFC #MMA pic.twitter.com/2P5jhCVYhW
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) May 20, 2024
Even before Topuria’s second-round knockout of Alexander Volkanovski to claim the featherweight crown, ‘El Matador’ has called for a clash with McGregor, suggesting the two throw hands in Spain — the country Topuria calls home.
We’re unlikely to see McGregor ever venture back down to 145, but should Topuria get past his first title challenger — all but confirmed to be Max Holloway — perhaps we could see the two set up a catchweight superfight in the future.
Conor McGregor Targets Leon Edwards’ Welterweight Title and the BMF Belt
Of course, Conor McGregor already has his sights set on a couple of top prizes in the UFC. Namely the welterweight championship and the promotion’s bragging rights belt, the BMF title.
“Nate Diaz almost knocked him out,” McGregor said while addressing a potential fight with 170-pound champ Leon Edwards. “Had him out on his feet. If that fight goes on, Leon’s unconscious. Also, [Donald] Cerrone went the distance with him so I’m looking at all these belts. The lightweight world title, though I’ve already held that. How excited would I be to cut that weight again? I’d be excited about the [BMF] title and I’d be excited about the welterweight title, but we’ll see what happens. I take things as they come.
Conor McGregor talks a potential fight with Leon Edwards, and says the titles that excite him are the 170 belt and the BMF belt.
"Leon Edwards, Nate Diaz almost knocked him out, had him out on his feet… also Cerrone went the distance with him…
The lightweight world title…… pic.twitter.com/62MkvlvbyI
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) May 20, 2024
Leon Edwards is currently scheduled to defend his welterweight title for the third time on Saturday, July 27 when the promotion returns to Manchester, England for UFC 304. Hoping to end Edwards’ reign will be a contender who has been waiting a long time for his shot at championship gold, Belal Muhammad.
The fight will serve as a rematch between the two after their first meeting in March 2021 ended due to an accidental eye poke 18 seconds into the second round.
“Leon was beating him the last time. I think Leon does him in again,” McGregor said, offering his prediction for the rematch.
