Former UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley has conceded that one of his boldest career ambitions was unrealistic, acknowledging ahead of UFC 324 that he was “delusional” to believe he could surpass Conor McGregor as the sport’s biggest star.
O’Malley returns to action this Saturday on the UFC’s debut broadcast on Paramount+, looking to halt the first losing skid of his MMA career when he faces Song Yadong. The bout comes after consecutive title-fight defeats, most recently a submission loss to Merab Dvalishvili, which ended O’Malley’s reign and cooled the meteoric rise that once surrounded “Suga”.
Earlier in his career, O’Malley openly declared that he intended to become bigger than McGregor, the UFC’s most commercially successful fighter, who headlined eight of the top 10 best-selling pay-per-views in the promotion’s history. Speaking to TNT Sports this week, the 29-year-old admitted that perspective has changed with time and experience.
“Looking back when I was like 23, 24, doing those interviews saying, ‘I’m going to be bigger than Conor,’ it was a delusional idea,” O’Malley said. “Conor is massive. That level is different. But I still want to be the biggest star I can be in the UFC.”
O’Malley described his career trajectory as a “rocket ship” that has recently dipped, adding that his comeback now feels like being on a “trampoline” — either bouncing back up or falling away from the elite. The fight with Song represents a critical moment, not only for his ranking at 135lb but also for his marketability moving forward.
Originally slated for a lower billing, O’Malley’s bout was elevated to the co-main event of UFC 324 after women’s bantamweight champion Kayla Harrison withdrew with a neck injury, postponing her planned title defence against Amanda Nunes. The reshuffle gives O’Malley a bigger stage — and potentially more eyes — as he attempts to secure his first win since April 2024.
While he may have tempered his expectations of matching McGregor’s global superstardom, O’Malley remains focused on rebuilding momentum inside the Octagon, starting with a statement performance at UFC 324.
