Sean O’Malley’s journey to Japan left fairly an impression on him.
This week, O’Malley was a visitor fighter in attendance for RIZIN 49, the promotion’s conventional New 12 months’s Eve present at Saitama Tremendous Area in Saitama, Japan. It was O’Malley’s first time collaborating within the annual extravaganza and in a media scrum after the occasion, “Suga” declared his curiosity in returning quickly.
“The manufacturing of the present was unbelievable, the vitality within the area was unbelievable, the ring ladies are unbelievable,” O’Malley mentioned. “Total impression of Japan, this has been probably the most enjoyable journey I’ve ever been on and I’d love to come back again.”
Saitama Tremendous Area is likely one of the most iconic venues in MMA, having hosted quite a lot of the largest occasions in Pleasure FC historical past, and the yearly New 12 months’s Eve present. As such, the world has a particular place in MMA lore and now, having skilled it first hand, O’Malley hopes to someday be capable of be a part of the listing of fighters who’ve competed there.
“Proper now, clearly, I’m with the UFC,” O’Malley mentioned. “I plan to be with the UFC without end, so if the UFC comes right here some day, I’d like to struggle on this area. There’s a great vitality right here.”
The UFC has been to Japan 9 instances total, with 5 of these occasions going down at Saitama, however the promotion hasn’t returned since a Struggle Night time occasion in 2017. Nonetheless, White seems to have a great relationship with RIZIN president Nobuyuki Sakakibara, with the 2 just lately attending UFC 310 collectively to look at former RIZIN champion Kai Asakura problem Alexandre Pantoja, and just lately steered the promotion could also be concentrating on a return within the close to future.
But when the UFC does return to Japan and O’Malley has the possibility to struggle there, he has one situation: he’s sticking to the UFC guidelines, not PRIDE guidelines.
“I seen after I went in there, the ring is rather a lot softer than the UFC,” O’Malley mentioned, evaluating the promotional rulesets. “The UFC platform is thinner. That might be slightly bit totally different. The ruleset, for me, I really feel prefer it advantages me extra not having the ability to get kicked within the head as a result of I’m the one above somebody. If I get taken down I’m normally on my again. So that will in all probability not be pretty much as good for me. However it might be fascinating.”
