Sean O'Malley: Conor McGregor Fuels Me Before Every Fight

Sean O'Malley says he watches Conor McGregor's old fights and documentaries before every single one of his own UFC bouts to get himself fired up mentally.

The former UFC bantamweight champion, a self-described massive McGregor fan, explained the routine in a recent video, saying he pulls motivation from watching how McGregor operates under pressure. "On every single fight day, we're watching Conor McGregor, whether it's his old fights or documentaries," O'Malley said. "I find so much inspiration and motivation from other athletes, but specifically from Conor and his rise. I tune into it every single fight day. He handles pressure better than anybody. It gets me fired up."

O'Malley leaned on that same routine ahead of his most recent outing, a highlight-reel knockout of Aiemann Zahabi at UFC's White House card that snapped Zahabi's seven-fight winning streak.

Why O'Malley Looks to McGregor for Motivation

O'Malley has been open before about how deep his admiration for McGregor runs, even after trying to separate himself from the Irishman's shadow. Coming off a two-fight skid before he beat Song Yadong at UFC 324, O'Malley admitted his old goal of surpassing McGregor as the promotion's biggest star was unrealistic. "I said in interviews I'm going to be bigger than Conor," O'Malley told UFC on TNT Sports. "It was a kind of delusional idea because Conor is massive, but there's still a path for me to get to that, maybe not that level, but I want to be the biggest star in the UFC at one point."

That mix of respect and rivalry is apparently exactly what keeps O'Malley circling back to McGregor's fight tape on fight day. It reads less like copying a style and more like borrowing a mindset, the ability to look calm and in control right before stepping into the Octagon.

O'Malley's Bounce-Back Run

O'Malley's recent form gives the ritual some real weight. Merab Dvalishvili took his bantamweight title in 2024, and an immediate rematch ended in a submission loss to "The Machine." That back-to-back skid dented the aura O'Malley built during his rise, but he has answered it with two straight finishes: a win over Song Yadong at UFC 324 and a knockout of Aiemann Zahabi at UFC Freedom 250 on the White House lawn.

For bettors, the McGregor-tape ritual is less a standalone angle than a window into where O'Malley's head is right now. A fighter climbing back from consecutive title losses who is finishing his last two opponents is a live thread heading into whatever comes next in the bantamweight division, and sportsbooks tend to reward that kind of finishing form with shorter odds the next time O'Malley's name goes on a fight card.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Sean O'Malley watch Conor McGregor before his UFC fights?

Sean O'Malley says he watches Conor McGregor's old fights and documentaries on every fight day because he finds motivation in how McGregor handles pressure better than anyone else in the sport.

What was Sean O'Malley's last fight result?

Sean O'Malley knocked out Aiemann Zahabi at UFC's White House card, snapping Zahabi's seven-fight winning streak and extending his own win streak to two.

Did Sean O'Malley ever say he wanted to be bigger than Conor McGregor?

Yes, Sean O'Malley previously said he wanted to be bigger than Conor McGregor but later called that idea delusional, saying he instead hopes to become the biggest star in the UFC.