Former lightweight and featherweight champion Conor McGregor has been beefing with Sean O’Malley even though the ex-youtuber sees the Irishman as a role model.
The altercation began in May when he went after Ryan Garcia on social media after the fighter tested positive for a banned substance. McGregor came after the Brazilian fighter after his win against Devin Haney, but O’Malley got caught in the crossfire.
The Irishman recanted his statement some weeks after his verbal attack on O’Malley. During a livestream, McGregor said he likes Sean O’Malley and that the fighter got caught in the crosshairs. Although the two have never spoken directly, O’Malley remains a loyal fan.
“I jokingly on my podcast said we talked, we’re good,” O’Malley told MMA Fighting. “I haven’t talked to him since.
“I’ll forever be a massive Conor fan. The biggest fan, I watched his career play out, watched every single interview possible. I learned a ton from him. He’s a legend. That’s it. It is what it is.”
O’Malley believes McGregor felt remorseful for his comments on social media, as he eventually deleted the tweet. However, O’Malley did not let this altercation change his mind, as he holds no grudge against the Irishman.
“I tried to hate him. I was like f*ck Conor, but it is what it is,” O’Malley said. “I think he realized what he said was stupid, I don’t know why he tried putting me and Ryan Garcia in the same category, saying Ryan Garcia missed weight and it made him mad about me. It just didn’t make sense. I think he kind of realized what he said was stupid and then just back himself into a corner.”
After the comment, O’Malley decided to support Chandler in his upcoming UFC303 bout against McGregor, but he still holds out hope for the former lightweight champion.
“It’s hard for me not to root for him,” He said about the potential results of the Micheal Chandler vs Conor McGregor battle. “If Conor goes out there, and knocks him out, it would be wild. It would just build another big Conor fight and the more Conor fights, the better.”
