Sean O'Malley: McGregor Still Capable of Putting on a 'Performance' with Proper Focus

Sean O'Malley believes Conor McGregor isn’t the same fighter after his recent years of yacht life during his prime.

McGregor hasn’t fought since July 2021, when he suffered a broken leg in a trilogy clash with Dustin Poirier at UFC 264. Despite McGregor having gone 1-3 in his last four bouts, the Irishman’s return to the Octagon remains highly anticipated.

After months of teasing a return fight with Michael Chandler, McGregor recently announced that he will be fighting the former Bellator MMA champ during the International Fight Week on June 29. O’Malley believes the former UFC two-division champion isn’t as good as he was during his heyday. However, O’Malley also believes “Notorious” still has it in him to put on a show if he is really “dialed in.”

“I’m a huge fan of Conor and I would be very excited to watch him come back and compete. He’s looking good, he’s posting little videos here and there training, looks like he’s grappling a lot. So he’s very skilled, but what sets people apart is obviously the mindset — if he can get back on that,” O’Malley recently told ESPN.

“You’re not going to be as good as you were if you were training and grinding for years, and then you’re living on a yacht and doing these things. You just aren’t going to be the same guy. So it’s just what you do for those three months. For three months if he’s dialed in and laser-focused on the task at hand, I think he’ll show up and put on a performance.”