Face of the League: Addressing the O’Malley-McGregor Conversation and Its Implications for UFC 316
June 6th, 2025, 11:11 PM ET
Written by Danny Varano
Amid Conor McGregor’s four-years of inactivity, questions have loomed over the UFC as to who would supplant the Irishman as the face of the promotion. The responsibility fell predominantly on the shoulders of bantamweight “Suga” Sean O’Malley. Despite the lofty and, perhaps, unfair expectations, the American O’Malley had largely delivered. Suga Sean claimed the bantamweight championship in August 2023. This past September, the 30-year-old fighter headlined Noche UFC at the Sphere, likely the most unique and experimental event ever put on in combat sports. However, the night of the historic event, O’Malley lost his title in a unanimous decision defeat to rising phenom, Merab Dvalishvili. Although Noche UFC became the largest gate in the history of the promotion, some of the mystique surrounding O’Malley had seemingly fizzled out. Fortunately for Suga Sean, this Saturday, at UFC 316, the former champion has an opportunity to reassert himself as the UFC’s most prominent, active fighter in a championship rematch with Dvalishvili. The implications are drastic as a consecutive loss will likely send O’Malley out of the title picture, while a victory could catapult Suga’s stock to McGregor-level heights.
Upon entering the UFC in 2017, debuting on Dana White’s Contender Series, Suga Sean was immediately viewed by many as a second coming of McGregor. His nonchalant personality, playful appearance (most notably his trademark colorful hair), and exceptional results were easy fuel for comparison. Yet, the resemblance between the two fighters sprouted from more than simply intriguing charisma and knockout finishes. Ahead of O’Malley’s first title shot against long-time bantamweight champion, Aljamain Sterling, at UFC 292, fans could not help but draw parallels to the UFC 194 undisputed featherweight title bout between McGregor and Jose Aldo. Both Aldo and Sterling had dominated their respective weight divisions, and McGregor and O’Malley symbolized a changing of the guard. The Irish superstar put Aldo to sleep in just 13 seconds, and, although not as sudden, O’Malley knocked out Sterling in the second round of their five round contest. Played side-to-side, the devastating blows appear eerily alike. The two fighters step laterally, slipping their opponents’ overextended strikes, and counter quickly with rifling shots to the chin. Having claimed a title for himself with an impressive knockout, Suga Sean had seemingly validated comparisons to the “Notorious One.”
O’Malley himself did not shy away from the running dialogue connecting him to McGregor. In an interview with ESPN’s Brett Okamoto leading up to the initial fight against Dvalishvili in the Sphere, Suga weighed in on how close he was to becoming the face of the UFC: “Who brought the most eyeballs? Who brought the most excitement to fights? Right now, it’s Conor Mcgregor. 100%. He’s a dork, but it’s the truth. For me to get to that…I go out there, knock out Merab. I go up to 145, I beat Ilia [Topuria]. I beat Max [Holloway]. I beat Umar [Nurmagomedov]. I’m three fights away from being one of the greatest of all time.” The comments rippled through the UFC media as the constant comparisons had seemed to breed a bit of resentment between the two fighters. After O’Malley’s defeat, his words were redirected back at him as humbling criticism. Speculation arose amongst UFC fans as to whether Suga Sean was truly the star he was presented to be, and many began to reject the notion that O’Malley would ever replace McGregor as the UFC’s biggest name.
Although the relationship between Suga and the Notorious One grew sour and the conversation surrounding the two temporarily faded, O’Malley’s rematch on Saturday night reignites the discourse. In 2016, McGregor faced a similar challenge as the one posed to O’Malley this weekend. After Nate Diaz handed McGregor his first loss at UFC 197, Conor was granted an opportunity for redemption at UFC 202. Determined for revenge, the Irish fighter and his team completely adjusted the approach to their fight camp. McGregor adopted a new training program focused on improving endurance, he limited his time with the press, and his team relocated to a newly built gym in Las Vegas. O’Malley’s defeat and ensuing rematch spurred analogous adjustments within his own camp. On the TimboSugarShow, O’Malley’s podcast with longtime coach and friend, Tim Welch, Sean revealed a list of lifestyle changes implemented in the months leading up to his UFC return. The former champ cut out social media, quit recreational use of marijuana, and prioritized time with his family. Taking a page out of McGregor’s book could be of benefit to O’Malley, as the alterations proved fruitful for the Irishman. In his rematch bout against Diaz, Conor enacted vengeance with a unanimous decision victory. The extent of McGregor’s influence on Suga’s new practices remains unclear. However, a recent video posted to O’Malley’s YouTube channel showed footage of the fighter watching McGregor’s revenge fight just days ahead of his rematch on Saturday at UFC 316.
As for how this weekend’s fight could potentially reshape Sean O’Malley’s legacy, again, it is best to refer back to the aftereffect of McGregor’s redeeming win. The legend surrounding the Notorious Conor McGregor had become larger than ever after defeating Diaz. Joe Rogan put it best on a podcast episode with Russell Brand. The UFC commentator brilliantly noted that the prevailing character McGregor displayed in his redemption arc induced fans to fall in love with him on a deeper level. Boxing coach and historian, Teddy Atlas, made similar remarks in reference to O’Malley’s contest this weekend: “It’s one of the most powerful things in this life. It’s called redemption…If they fall short, they want them to get another chance to show that they are what they thought they were.” Tomorrow night, the Suga Show gets another shot. Despite the overstated dialogue surrounding Suga and Conor, O’Malley certainly hopes to capitalize on redemption as McGregor once did before him.