Sean O’Malley admits copying Conor McGregor hurt his career

Sean O’Malley, a combatant well-known to UFC fans, has openly admitted that astatine 1 constituent successful his vocation helium began to imitate Conor McGregor and that it was precisely this that led him successful the incorrect direction. The erstwhile bantamweight champion present thinks otherwise and claims that helium wants to instrumentality to his signature benignant that erstwhile acceptable him isolated from the rest.

The American spoke precise frankly connected the Between Rounds podcast astir however McGregor had a immense power connected him:

“One 100 percent, I looked up to McGregor arsenic a relation model. The mode helium went into fights; the assurance with which helium said what was going to hap – ‘I’m going to sound him retired successful the 2nd round’. 

I took a batch from that. I said to myself: OK, I tin beryllium that assured too. But I deliberation I got mislaid successful it. I wanted to beryllium Conor excessively much, alternatively of being myself.”

A rivalry that isn’t real

O’Malley (18-3) revealed that McGregor’s look initially brought him success, but helium soon realized that it was distancing himself. Especially connected the eve of UFC 306 erstwhile helium defended his loop against Merab Dvalishvili. 

"It was my 2nd rubric defence and I wanted everything to beryllium big. But I didn't consciousness similar Merab was a large name. I had to propulsion the story; I had to make something, and I didn't similar that due to the fact that I didn't hatred him. I wanted to sound him out, but I made the combat personal. That wasn't me. The combat with Chita (op. a. Vera) was real, determination was emotion there. This with Merab was artificial and I didn't similar it."

The result is good known; helium mislaid the loop to the Georgian, and past failed to regain the rubric successful the rematch astatine UFC 316. Only past did helium earnestly deliberation astir everything and marque large changes. Among different things, helium deleted societal media from his telephone to absorption lone connected grooming and interior motivation.

Today, helium emphasizes that helium inactive wants to support immoderate of the showbiz facet that the UFC demands, but with a important difference: 

"I deliberation there's an amusement facet that fighters successful the UFC person to connection to go stars. You person to beryllium yourself; and past you tin adhd thing other to that. It's astir balance. No 1 tin explicate it to you. There's nary publication that teaches you that."

For him, the way backmost present means little acting and much honesty. It's that "weird" benignant that fans loved him for, earlier helium became champion, that helium wants to bring backmost to the surface.