In the realm of UFC, Sean O’Malley envisions capitalizing on the legendary feud between Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov if he ever crosses paths with Umar Nurmagomedov inside the octagon.
Although Umar holds significant promise as a contender in the bantamweight division, O’Malley remains skeptical about the magnitude of the matchup, citing concerns about Umar’s ranking.
Despite this, in a recent interview with Brett Okamoto of ESPN MMA, the bantamweight champ acknowledged the potential allure of the bout, driven by the opportunity to tap into the legacy of McGregor and Nurmagomedov’s iconic clash.
The rivalry between McGregor, the Irish powerhouse, and the undefeated Dagestani lightweight legend Nurmagomedov is etched in the annals of sports history.
Umar, hailing from the same gym and being ‘The Eagle’s’ cousin, carries the torch of this formidable lineage.
O’Malley, with his common Irish surname and shared heritage from his grandmother’s side, believes that aligning himself with ‘The Notorious’ could set the stage for marketing a potential bout against Umar as a symbolic rerun of the McGregor-Nurmagomedov spectacle.
Expressing his thoughts to Okamoto, O’Malley stated,
“Umar isn’t a star at all… Umar is a potential superstar. Literally, because he has the last name Nurmagomedov… He has the last name Nurmagomedov. He is Russian. He has potential because of that… I feel like just with the name and the skill of the UFC being able to promote certain people, and he comes from that gym and Khabib be in his corner, O’Malley Irish, it’s there, there is something there. If he can become a star with that, that is a fight I want too.”
💰🌟 UFC 299 ODDS – O’Malley vs Vera!
Who are you backing to win the UFC 299 main event:
Sean O’Malley (-210)
vs
Marlon Vera (+170)#UFC299 ➡️ https://t.co/ZPchfzPJxD pic.twitter.com/60hcKgvzJZ
— Bodog (@BodogCA) February 27, 2024
Umar Nurmagomedov, anticipating O’Malley’s future matchups, predicts that the American will breeze through Marlon Vera in their upcoming UFC 299 title fight, provided he avoids injuries akin to his initial bout against ‘Chito’.
The odds also tilt in favor of O’Malley, with Bodog pegging the reigning champion as a -210 favorite, contrasting with the challenger’s (+170 underdog) status for the impending clash.
