Newly-crowned UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley has made no bones about using the career blueprint of Conor McGregor as motivation for his own run towards a world title.

O’Malley made good on his vow to win UFC gold last weekend in Boston, finishing the former champion Aljamain Sterling early into the second round of their fight in the TD Garden — the same venue in which McGregor earned a second round finish of Denis Siver all those years ago — and speaking to former NFL player Pat McAfee on his podcast yesterday, O’Malley revealed that McGregor was quick to message him after he raised that gold belt.

“@TheNotoriousMMA actually messaged me for the first time yesterday and said baby we did it..

I said are we co-main eventing in December and all he replied was SHOT CALLER” 😂😂@SugaSeanMMA #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/23wBnNKUw1

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) August 22, 2023

“Conor messaged me on Instagram for the first time yesterday,” O’Malley said to McAfee.

“He said, ‘Baby we did it,’ and I said, ‘We sure f*cking did!’ I said, ‘You main eventing in December, I’m co-main eventing?’ All he replied was, ‘Shot caller.’ I don’t know what that means, but I feel like I kinda do so I’m hoping that’s a yes in f*cking Irish.’

No final date has as of yet been confirmed for McGregor’s return to the Octagon, though there have been recent suggestions that December could well be a possible date for the Dubliner’s proposed matchup with TUF rival coach Michael Chandler. Likewise, O’Malley has suggested that he would like to defend his crown before the year is out — likely against either Marlon ‘Chito’ Vera or Merab Dvalishvili.