Chael Sonnen compares Sean O'Malley's rise to superstardom with that of Conor McGregor and Brock Lesnar 

Chael Sonnen has compared Sean O'Malley's rapid rise to stardom in combat sports to that of former UFC champions Brock Lesnar and Conor McGregor.

Sean O'Malley recently picked up yet another highlight-reel knockout, finishing Raulian Paiva in round one at UFC 269. He has now entered the bantamweight rankings and the hype around him has never been bigger.

Speaking in a video posted to his YouTube channel, Chael Sonnen stated the following in regards to Sean O'Malley and his fast rise towards the top:

"He got that big bright spotlight on him in absolute record time. Lesnar, Conor McGregor, Sean O'Malley. You got a problem with that order that I just said? Can you tell me anyone else that became stars faster than that. Lesnar, but for obvious reasons, Conor spent some time on the undercard, two times. But then his third time he was a main event. Record time. And you got O'Malley, who's in front of everybody at all times."

Check out Sonnen's comments in the video below:

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Who could Sean O'Malley face next?

With a ranking now by his name, Sean O'Malley will only be facing the best of the best from this moment onwards. It would not be surprising to see him matched up against one of the ranked veterans of the division, such as No.11-ranked Frankie Edgar, No.10-ranked Pedro Munhoz or No.9-ranked Marlon Moraes.

Alternatively, a rematch with Marlon 'Chito' Vera could also be a solid option. Vera is the only man with a win over Sean O'Malley on his record, although 'Sugar' maintains that it was not a legitimate win. Fans would certainly enjoy a deciding bout to bring some clarity to their rivalry.

If the UFC wish to fastrack Sean O'Malley into the title picture, No.-5 ranked Rob Font would provide an excellent litmus test to see just how well the 27-year-old can live up to all the hype.