Everything was fine between Conor McGregor and UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley until earlier this May. However, in May, they had a massive fallout due to O’Malley targeting boxer Ryan Garcia after he tested positive for banned substances following his fight against Devin Haney in April. This caught the attention of Conor McGregor, who has a good relationship with Ryan Garcia. McGregor questioned O’Malley’s own situation from 2019 in the comments. The controversy seemed buried until now.

Recently, Sean O’Malley reignited his feud with Conor McGregor during his podcast by making a controversial statement about facing him. O’Malley said, “I do believe I could beat Conor in a fight, and I’m not just saying that. I think stylistically, I could beat Conor. It wouldn’t be an easy fight, but I wouldn’t call out someone if I didn’t think I could beat them. I believe I can beat Conor.” Naturally, someone like McGregor couldn’t let this statement slide. He recently shared the story on his Instagram with a laughing reaction. No words, just a laughing reaction. Yes!

Conor McGregor was once an inspiration for Sean O’Malley in his early MMA career. Even after their falling out, McGregor publicly addressed his verbal jabs against O’Malley, explaining that he still liked him but that O’Malley got caught in the crosshairs. Previously, O’Malley mentioned on his podcast that he and McGregor were on good terms but later admitted this wasn’t true. Despite this, O’Malley couldn’t hide his admiration for McGregor, saying, “I’ll forever be a massive Conor fan.”

Despite their ongoing feud, O’Malley recognizes that continuing the clash with McGregor won’t advance his career. He has always aspired to achieve the same level of success as McGregor, so he recently proposed a truce—but with a condition. Let’s delve further to see what O’Malley’s condition is.

O’Malley’s conditions for reconciliation with Conor McGregor

In the UFC, Conor McGregor holds a superstar status that only a few, like Khabib Nurmagomedov and his camp, can handle. Most others bow down to him, avoiding any feud that could tarnish their chances of higher PPV sales. Nate Diaz is a prime example from the past. Following Diaz’s approach, Sean O’Malley extended an olive branch to McGregor in a recent interview with Helen Yee.

O’Malley said, “I am over it. If Conor wants to message me and apologize, we can be boys. If not, I am not looking for more friends. I am not too worried about it.” Sean O’Malley’s condition for making peace with McGregor seems unlikely to come to fruition. McGregor is known for his stubborn nature and has never submitted to anyone, including Dana White. This casts a significant doubt on whether O’Malley’s request will be met.

What are your thoughts on Sean O’Malley’s remarks that he can beat McGregor? Regardless of the outcome, there’s one thing O’Malley has proven true: the old saying, “Work hard until your idol becomes your rival.” Share your views below.