Sean O’Malley thinks that although Conor McGregor can still throw down, he may never reach his peak again.
‘The Notorious’ recently announced his return to the Octagon against Michael Chandler in Las Vegas on June 29, surprising MMA fans by revealing that the fight will take place at middleweight, two weight classes above the Irishman’s natural 155-pound weight division.
However, the weight doesn’t matter as much as skill, and McGregor isn’t the same fighter he once used to be, according to O’Malley.
In a recent UFC interview, O’Malley shared his thoughts on McGregor, saying that the former champ-champ may not be exactly like he was a few years ago, but he still thinks he can do well in the Octagon.
“He’s very skilled, but I think what sets people apart is obviously the mindset,” O’Malley told. “I think if he can get back on that. You’re not going to be as good as you were if you were training and grinding for years, and 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.”
McGregor will return to the cage after a three-year lay-off, with his most recent fight coming at UFC 264, where he lost by a doctor’s stoppage after breaking his tibia seconds before the end of the first round.
As far as O’Malley is concerned, he will defend his bantamweight crown against Marlon Vera at UFC 299.
Do you agree with Sean O’Malley?
