Former two-division champion Conor McGregor has not competed in additional than three years and as of this writing, has no speedy plans to make his Octagon return. That will clarify why “Infamous” is taking a again seat to reigning bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley, who had no concept how a lot cash he was going to make as 135-pound titleholder.
“O’Malley is the largest star in our sport proper now,” retired middleweight and present UFC analyst Chael Sonnen stated on his YouTube channel (transcribed by MMA Preventing). “And ‘Purple Panty Night time’ remains to be actual. Conor’s not within the sport, he’s not even licensed. Conor couldn’t stroll in and battle tonight if he wished to. I’m simply sharing with you, who’s within the sport, it’s a kind of issues. Conor has no extra of a declare to this sport proper now than [Georges] St-Pierre or Khabib [Nurmagomedov]. Actually, St-Pierre and Khabib have attended extra UFCs within the final yr than Conor.”
McGregor was scheduled to return from his prolonged hiatus, prolonged by the use of damaged leg (and damaged relationships), atop the UFC 303 pay-per-view (PPV) card final June. Sadly, one other harm prevented his “Infamous” comeback and his present timeline seems to be 2025 … or by no means, relying on who you ask.
Throughout his absence, O’Malley competed 5 occasions and captured the bantamweight crown.
“I really feel that O’Malley, as the largest star, who’s the toughest working man exterior of the cage that division has ever seen, High 5 within the sports activities historical past — he is likely to be No. 1 — he’s a High 5 in historical past of the toughest working guys exterior of the cage,” Sonnen continued. “For him to have landed this rocket ship on this place and whoever will get within the passenger seat and now you’re telling me [the oddsmakers] consider that he’s two-and-a-half occasions extra more likely to lose than he’s to win and even when he wins he attracts into a man with an analogous disastrous fashion? That could be a lot for a younger man to tackle, however that appears to be precisely the place O’Malley does his finest work. That appears to be, when that home is on hearth, and he’s proper on the sting and other people aren’t believing him and he’s bought to remain sharp and if he’s not sharp he’s going to fall right into a mattress of needles, that appears to be the place Sean O’Malley performs his most interesting.”
We’ll discover out when “Suga” fights Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 306 on Sept. 14 at The Sphere.