Rivalries in sports elevate status and excite fans, building strong interest and enthusiasm due to the parasocial relationships they create. The same thing happened with the Conor McGregor vs Khabib Nurmagomedov fight, which not only elevated them into a global phenomenon but also helped UFC grow its audience exponentially. This was a prime example of a star vs. star rivalry. Similarly, Bantamweight Champion Sean O’Malley believes that Featherweight Champion Ilia Topuria could be Khabib to his McGregor, potentially propelling them into stardom through a star vs. star rivalry.
In a recent conversation with Michael Bisping, following a strong victory against Chito Vera, O’Malley was asked about the rising star status of Topuria. In response, ‘Suga’ expressed that this sets the platform for a superstar vs superstar matchup. Additionally, he believes that after just one or two matches, they will be ready for the mega fight. In his words,
“I like what Ilia is doing. For me in my position; a superstar. You want another star, you want Conor, you need Floyd to have that Conor match. You need Conor and Khabib. You need two stars. I’m always looking for a star.”
O’Malley emphasized that he is constantly seeking for the next big challenge. For that, now he is prepared to face Merab Dvalishvili, who may not be a superstar, but O’Malley aims to defeat him decisively to elevate his own status.
Similarly, he believes that for Topuria to reach the platform for a super fight, he must first defeat fighters of the caliber of Max Holloway or Brian Ortega to become an even bigger star.
Consequently, it will make their fight mega just like McGregor vs Nurmagomedov. Not only Topuria, but O’Malley also sees another potential superstar to fight alongside him, making it a sequel to UFC 229.
UFC Champ Sean O’Malley Sees Umar Fight as His Conor McGregor vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov Moment
In the same interview, O’Malley added that with Umar having Nurmagomedov as his last name, the fight can practically sell itself. According to him, the UFC could market their future bout as McGregor vs. Khabib 2, given the compelling narrative.
Additionally, Umar’s undefeated record, coupled with O’Malley’s flashy and flamboyant style similar to McGregor’s, would easily make the fight a sell-out event.
It will be interesting to see whom O’Malley chooses for his McGregor vs. Khabib moment next. While Topuria appears to be a likely contender, the unpredictability of this sport means it could just as easily be Umar.
