UFC's Sean O'Malley Says He'll Be More Popular Than Conor McGregor

Will 2024 be the year of "The Sugar Show"?

Already one of the biggest names on the UFC roster, Sean O’Malley expects 2024 to be the year where he achieves a level of stardom that's only been reached by Conor McGregor.

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“Sugar” only stepped into the Octagon once last year but scored the biggest victory of his career when he dethroned Aljamain Sterling to claim the UFC bantamweight title in the main event of UFC 292.

Now scheduled to headline UFC 299 with a rematch against Marlon “Chito” Vera on March 9, O’Malley recently sat down for an interview with ESPN MMA and outlined some ambitious plans for the rest of the year.

O'Malley stopped Sterling to win the bantamweight title at UFC 292.  :: (Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports)

“I would like to get another one in by the end of the year and be the biggest star in sports,” O’Malley told Megan Olivi. “Not just combat sports. I think if I go out there and put two beautiful performances together, I will be as big as Conor."

O’Malley’s respect and admiration for “The Notorious” is already well-documented, and the 29-year-old appears as excited as anyone else about the fact that McGregor is set to finally return to the UFC in June for a matchup with Michael Chandler.

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Attempting to reach the same level as the biggest star in UFC history is no easy task, but “Sugar” is confident that he’s on the path to superstardom and isn’t about to waste time listening to fans who are critical of his aspirations.

McGregor is also set to make his long-awaited return to the UFC this year.  :: (Stephen R. Sylvanie/USA TODAY Sports)

“The UFC has grown 40, 50 percent since Conor was really in his prime…I have a lot more eyeballs, a lot more opportunity to become more of star. When I say stuff like that, people are always like ‘Oh, you wanna be Conor man.’ He’s the biggest star in combat sports, of course I wanna be as big as him. When people say that, it sounds a little silly.”

If O’Malley does intend to close out 2024 as the UFC’s biggest star, he’ll first have to avenge the only loss of his career when he defends his title for the first time against Vera at UFC 299.

There’s been no love lost between the two bantamweights during the lead up to their rematch, and if “Sugar” is able to get revenge against the Ecuadorian in March it should set O’Malley up for another huge matchup in the second half of the year.

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