'I am bigger than the belt': UFC Bantamweight champion Sean O'Malley aims to follow Conor McGregor

Sean O'Malley has finally settled the score with his rival Marlon Vera. The UFC Bantamweight champion pulled off a striking masterclass against Chito at UFC 299 and emerged victorious via unanimous decision. With the win, Suga Sean has cemented his reign in the leading MMA promotion in the world.

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Sean O'Malley contemplates what the future looks like for him

Following the victory, the ever-expressive Sean O'Malley gave a tour of where he is headed and what according to him is the ideal future. 

"We'll go with the flow, if it happens, I feel like I could move up to 145 [pounds]. You know, I'm going to get to a point where I don't even need the belt. I am bigger than the belt, I have the belt. I'm going to fight, main event, at f***ing 140 [pounds], 142.5 [pounds] just for fun. I'm getting to that point." O Malley said in the post-UFC 299 press conference. 

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Sean O'Malley wants to reach the stardom stature of Conor McGregor

Enthusiastic O'Malley further said that while holding the UFC title is "cool" he wants to achieve a certain stature where having the belt may not matter and his name would be enough to make him the top draw. He stated the precedence of former two-division champion Conor McGregor to give perspective to what he is chasing. 

"The belt's cool, but once you get to a certain point, you can main event and just kind of fight. Look at Conor, he was a 145-pound champion fighting at 170 [pounds], fighting Nate [Diaz]. I want to get there."

Comparisons between Conor McGregor and Sean O'Malley have long been prevalent. Whenever the query of who could take the superstar baton from the Natorious arises, O'Malley's name thumps in front. So far it could be asserted that the 29-year-old Bantamweight champ is in the right place. However, only the future will tell whether he will be able to attain the status that he is targetting. or not. What do you think?