Sean O’Malley recently opened up about trying to emulate Conor McGregor and how it negatively affected him. He opened up about losing sight of his true self while attempting to copy McGregor’s persona and style.
O’Malley has become one of the UFC‘s biggest stars, both for his skill and his marketability. His rise up the bantamweight division was quick, culminating with his TKO win over Aljamain Sterling to become champion.
Due to his success and personality, many began comparing O’Malley to McGregor. While flattering at first, ‘Suga’ now believes that chasing that comparison became a distraction.
During an appearance on Between Rounds, O’Malley spoke about what drew him to McGregor’s persona. He praised the Irishman’s confidence and how he predicted his finishes.
O’Malley admitted that while McGregor’s mindset was inspiring, it caused him to move away from his own identity.
“The way [Conor McGregor] carried himself into fights, the confidence to say what he thought was going to happen, ‘I’m going to knock this dude out in Round 2,’ I got a lot out of that,” O’Malley said. “I was like, ‘Okay, I can be confident like that.’ I feel like I got lost almost in a sense where I wanted to be like Conor too much instead of being like myself.”
Sean O’Malley Talks Finding Balance Between Being a Showman and Being Real
O’Malley emphasized the importance of finding a balance between entertainment and authenticity. He acknowledged the need for fighters to sell fights, but warned against losing themselves in the process.
“There’s an entertainment aspect that UFC [fighters] need to become a superstar,” O’Malley told Between Rounds. “You gotta be yourself and then you can add on to that a little bit.
O’Malley explained that no blueprint exists for how to be the biggest star in the UFC. He believes fighters must figure out how to market themselves without compromising who they truly are.
O’Malley also noted that fighter should build their brands by being genuine first. Once established, they can then lean into the entertainment side without forcing it.
“Finding that balance. There’s not someone there to teach you, there’s not a book.”
O’Malley Admits to Forcing Rivalry with Merab Dvalishvili
O’Malley also addressed his rivalry with Merab Dvalishvili, admitting it was largely manufactured. They fought twice for the bantamweight championship. ‘The Machine’ won both by unanimous decision and submission, respectively.
Speaking with Between Rounds, O’Malley said he never felt genuine animosity toward Dvalishvili. Instead, he tried to recreate McGregor-style hype by forcing tension during their interactions.
O’Malley figured he could achieve the same by forcing a rivalry with Dvalishvili, which he admits was a mistake.
“I didn’t feel like Merab was a big name. I had to force it. [Our first fight] was at the Sphere. I felt like I had to create something and I didn’t like how that made me feel because I didn’t hate Merab,” O’Malley said. “I feel like I made it too personal, and I didn’t like that, but that’s kind of the only time I really forced anything.”
Sean O’Malley Shares Honest Thoughts on Emulating Conor McGregor: ‘I Got Lost’