UFC champion Sean O'Malley reflects on his rise to stardom - ESPN

HELENA, Mont. — SEAN O'MALLEY IS standing at the living room window of his childhood home, taking in the panoramic view of his hometown.

It's been a long time since he stood in this room. His family built this two-story house when he was 3, and he lived here for 16 years. The lot it rests on sits slightly elevated on a hill, offering a beautiful look at the 2,000-acre Lake Helena. It was his mother's «dream house,» he says, the perfect haven for him and his three siblings to grow up in. A few years ago, his parents split up and sold it. The new owners, who have remained family acquaintances, have renovated it since and were kind enough to welcome him back for a visit.

«There used to be a huge wall right there,» O'Malley tells ESPN, pointing towards the kitchen. «This room used to be carpet. TV was there. Couch was there. Christmas tree went there. This is a trip, man. It still feels like our home. It looks really, really different, but it still feels like it's ours.»

The final day O'Malley lived here consisted of him packing everything he owned into his Nissan Altima and driving to Glendale, Arizona. It was mid-summer 2014 and he was 19 years old. He had $2,000 to his name, saved up from his job at a local support center for people with disabilities. He went to Arizona to pursue better MMA training and begin his professional career in the sport. He had a few amateur fights in Montana, but had yet to turn pro.

Today, he returns to his hometown as a UFC champion and celebrity, worth millions. When he, his wife and their 3-year-old daughter flew into Montana earlier this May afternoon, they did so on a private jet.

«The last 10 years have been crazy,» O'Malley says. «It does feel like I've almost lived two different lives.»