Sean O’Malley’s trip to Japan left quite an impression on him.
This week, O’Malley was a guest fighter in attendance for RIZIN 49, the promotion’s traditional New Year’s Eve show at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. It was O’Malley’s first time taking part in the annual extravaganza and in a media scrum after the event, “Suga” declared his interest in returning soon.
“The production of the show was incredible, the energy in the arena was incredible, the ring girls are incredible,” O’Malley said. “Overall impression of Japan, this has been the most fun trip I’ve ever been on and I would love to come back.”
Saitama Super Arena is one of the most iconic venues in MMA, having hosted a number of the biggest events in Pride FC history, and the yearly New Year’s Eve show. As such, the arena has a special place in MMA lore and now, having experienced it first hand, O’Malley hopes to one day be able to join the list of fighters who have competed there.
“Right now, obviously, I’m with the UFC,” O’Malley said. “I plan to be with the UFC forever, so if the UFC comes here some day, I would love to fight in this arena. There’s a good energy here.”
The UFC has been to Japan nine times overall, with five of those events taking place at Saitama, but the promotion hasn’t returned since a Fight Night event in 2017. However, White appears to have a good relationship with RIZIN president Nobuyuki Sakakibara, with the two recently attending UFC 310 together to watch former RIZIN champion Kai Asakura challenge Alexandre Pantoja, and recently suggested the promotion may be targeting a return in the near future.
But if the UFC does return to Japan and O’Malley has the chance to fight there, he has one condition: he’s sticking to the UFC rules, not PRIDE rules.
“I noticed when I went in there, the ring is a lot softer than the UFC,” O’Malley said, comparing the promotional rulesets. “The UFC platform is thinner. That would be a little bit different. The ruleset, for me, I feel like it benefits me more not being able to get kicked in the head because I’m the one above someone. If I get taken down I’m usually on my back. So that would probably not be as good for me. But it would be interesting.”
