While Sean O’Malley is focused on carving out his own niche in mixed martial arts, there are already comparisons being made for the young bantamweight that he has been forced to hear about.

Since entering the UFC, Suga’s popularity has already captured something within the fanbase, and O’Malley’s current trajectory up the ranks is bringing about memories of other great fighters we’ve seen over the past few years. Certainly, O’Malley’s heard them.

Case in point, the numerous links he’s had to Irish superstar Conor McGregor.

O’Malley’s fan-friendly stand-up style has made multiple pundits hark back to when McGregor burst on the scene as a featherweight, as indeed has their mutual ability to apparently pick their finish before it arrives. It’s not a comparison O’Malley is avoiding.

“We’re pretty similar in fighting styles, we knock people out in the first round,” O’Malley said, speaking on the UFC 252 virtual media day. “And we aren’t afraid to say how we feel the fight’s gonna play out. We got similar styles, we’re explosive strikers and I knock people out in the first round and he knocks people out in the first round, so yeah, I think there’s a similarity there.”

While O’Malley has gone as far to say as he wants to emulate McGregor’s career, it’s clear the Irishman has a place in his mind as he plots his moves ahead.

“Conor’s career went well, Israel Adesanya’s career went well and I feel like I’m on a similar path like that,” O’Malley said.