"He's f**king scary" - Sean O'Malley previews "unrealistic" welterweight matchup between Ilia Topuria and Conor McGregor
Sean O'Malley recently analyzed a theoretical welterweight clash between Ilia Topuria and Conor McGregor.
Despite not competing for almost three years, 'The Notorious' remains a prominent figure in the minds of those within the sport. The newly minted featherweight titleholder has ambitious aspirations, having previously called out for a potential fight against the Irishman.
During the UFC 298 post-fight press conference, El Matador restated his strategic fight goals and asserted that he was willing to face McGregor in any weight division.
Check out Ilia Topuria's comments below:
In a recent episode of his TimboSugarShow podcast, O'Malley reviewed Topuria's video and delved into a hypothetical fight between the Georgian-Spanish and McGregor at 170 pounds:
"I feel like it's so unrealistic. I would think Conor, but it is hard to say, I think we gotta see them next to each other. There's a reason for weight classes. Ilia is not big, he's f**king scary, but he's not big."
Check out Sean O'Malley's comments below:
'El Matador' recently outlined his upcoming fight plans and disclosed his intention to compete against McGregor, O'Malley, and Max Holloway before challenging Islam Makhachev for the title of UFC's pound-for-pound top-ranked fighter.
After his coaching stint against Michael Chandler on 'The Ultimate Fighter' in 2023, 'The Notorious' has been rumored to make a UFC comeback against the American. Amid ongoing speculation, McGregor stated his desire to fight Chandler at the UFC's annual International Fight Week pay-per-view event on June 29.
However, UFC CEO Dana White has denied these claims, stating that there is no confirmed fight scheduled for the former two-division champion.
Conor McGregor reacts to Ilia Topuria's challenge
Following his impressive second-round knockout win over Alexander Volkanovski to secure the UFC featherweight championship in the main event of UFC 298, Ilia Topuria promptly issued a challenge to Conor McGregor from the octagon.
During the post-fight octagon interview, 'El Matador' stated:
"Hey Dana [White], Hunter [Campbell], it’s time to shine. It’s time to take the UFC to Spain. Conor McGregor, if you still have some balls, I will be waiting for you in Spain."
Check out Ilia Topuria's comments below (2:38):
'The Notorious' quickly replied to the challenge from his Instagram account by sharing a screenshot of ESPN's article covering Topuria's challenge:
"I have huge balls, I have 4 children."
Check out Conor McGregor's response below: