UFC champion makes second U-turn with opinion on Conor McGregor

UFC champion Sean O'Malley quickly retracted his criticism of Conor McGregor.

O'Malley came under fire last month when McGregor attacked boxing star Ryan Garcia after he tested positive for the banned substance Ostarine, the same performance-enhancing drug that O'Malley tested positive for in 2019 and subsequently banned for six months.

“This Ostarine reminds me of Sean O'Malley, [he] was there too,” McGregor wrote. “I don't like this, I'm going to take you both out. You wanna spar? I'm going to book flights for you both now so you can each have a proper sparring match. Hotel, Black Forge Inn, the whole package. Let's spar with O'Malley and Garcia, two little Ostarine heads. I'm going to ride you both like you're ostriches.”

O'Malley responded to McGregor's comments by saying “F*** Conor” but has now changed his tone towards the Irishman. “I joked on my podcast that we talked and we get along well, but I haven't spoken to him since,” O'Malley told MMA Fighting. “I will forever be a huge Conor fan. The biggest fan, I've followed his career and watched every single interview there has been.”

“I learned a lot from him. He's a legend. That's all. It is what it is. I think he realized what he said was stupid. I don't know why he tried to put me and Ryan Garcia in the same category. It made him mad at me and it just didn't make sense. I think he painted himself into a corner with that.”

McGregor returns to the UFC in less than three weeks when he fights Michael Chandler in the headliner of the promotion's International Fight Week. The former two-weight world champion fights 35 pounds above O'Malley's weight class but has expressed excitement about a fight with the Irishman.

“He also said, “Let's take the gloves off and fight, bitch.” I wouldn't turn down a fight against Conor, so we'll see [who wins]”, added O'Malley. “It is difficult for me not to [root for McGregor]if Conor goes out there and knocks him out, that would be wild. That would just set up another big Conor fight and the more Conor fights the better.”