"And then Conor goes out and f***ing starches him" - Sean O'Malley reveals how the build-up to Jose Aldo vs. Conor McGregor inspires him for fight against Petr Yan

Sean O'Malley is likening his path towards this Petr Yan fight to the path of Conor McGregor when he fought Jose Aldo at UFC 194.

On episode 202 of Timbo Sugar Show, the titular figures Tim Welch and Sean O'Malley covered several subjects. They discussed Mike Perry eyeing a Jake Paul fight, Tony Ferguson's return to welterweight for his next outing, and more.

Comparing his upcoming UFC 280 clash to the UFC 194 main event, Sean O'Malley said:

"I was watching Conor [McGregor] vs. [Jose] Aldo predictions from UFC fighters. Everyone, 'Oh Aldo, Aldo, Aldo' and then Conor goes out and f***ing starches him. I was watching a video on YouTube of fighters predicting me vs Petr [Yan]. Everyone's like Petr, Petr, Petr. I was like [excited noises] and I was shadow boxing before training. It was fire."

Watch the video below:

Aldo went into that Conor McGregor defense with some seeing him as infallible amid the height of his status as UFC featherweight world champion/divisional GOAT.

Jose Aldo was looking for the eighth successful defense of his UFC featherweight belt. McGregor then went on to finish him in 13 seconds.

Yan is a former lineal UFC bantamweight champion and also held interim gold at 135 pounds in the UFC. The current No.1-ranked UFC bantamweight contender will look to rebound against O'Malley in October after losing his title unification rematch against Aljamain Sterling at UFC 273.

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Sean O'Malley, Conor McGregor, and underdog KO wins

Sean O'Malley is confident despite his underdog status. For 'Sugar', there are historical precedences of huge surprises happening in the Octagon.

Matt Serra earned one of the biggest underdog wins in mixed martial arts history when he ended Georges St-Pierre's first welterweight title reign. 'The Terror' knocked out 'Rush' at UFC 69 in April 2007 to become the top 170 pound fighter on the planet at that time.

TJ Dillashaw destroyed Renan Barao while the latter was on a path in some's eyes to becoming the bantamweight GOAT. He hadn't lost in close to a decade. Dillashaw ended Barao's title reign with an emphatic TKO at a time when many saw him as mostly a wrestler.

Also, Chris Weidman ending one of the most iconic runs in MMA history has to be right up there. 'All American' scored a second-round knockout over Anderson Silva. 'The Spider' was then in the midst of a lengthy double-digit win streak and the deepest middleweight title resume in UFC history.