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 Yr’s Eve present at Saitama Tremendous Enviornment 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 enviornment was unbelievable, the ring ladies are unbelievable,” O’Malley mentioned. “General impression of Japan, this has been probably the most enjoyable journey I’ve ever been on and I’d love to return again.”
Saitama Tremendous Enviornment is among the most iconic venues in MMA, having hosted quite a lot of the largest occasions in Delight FC historical past, and the yearly New Yr’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 sooner or later be capable to be part of the checklist of fighters who’ve competed there.
“Proper now, clearly, I’m with the UFC,” O’Malley mentioned. “I plan to be with the UFC perpetually, so if the UFC comes right here some day, I’d like to combat on this enviornment. There’s vitality right here.”
The UFC has been to Japan 9 instances general, with 5 of these occasions happening at Saitama, however the promotion hasn’t returned since a Battle Evening occasion in 2017. Nonetheless, White seems to have relationship with RIZIN president Nobuyuki Sakakibara, with the 2 not too long ago attending UFC 310 collectively to look at former RIZIN champion Kai Asakura problem Alexandre Pantoja, and not too long ago steered the promotion could also be focusing on a return within the close to future.
But when the UFC does return to Japan and O’Malley has the prospect to combat there, he has one situation: he’s sticking to the UFC guidelines, not PRIDE guidelines.
“I observed once 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 will be a little bit bit totally different. The ruleset, for me, I really feel prefer it advantages me extra not with 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 often on my again. So that will most likely not be nearly as good for me. However it will be attention-grabbing.”
