Former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) bantamweight champion, Sean O’Malley, was in attendance for the RIZIN 49: “Decade” pay-per-view (PPV) extravaganza earlier today at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. “Suga” was so impressed by the “incredible” event that he’s hoping to one day ply his trade in “The Land of the Rising Sun.”
Under one condition.
“Right now, obviously, I’m with the UFC,” O’Malley said after the event (via MMA Fighting). “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 production of the show was incredible, the energy in the arena was incredible, the ring girls are incredible. Overall impression of Japan, this has been the most fun trip I’ve ever been on and I would love to come back.”
UFC has not staged an event in Japan since UFC Fight Night 117 back in late 2017.
“I noticed when I went in there, the ring is a lot softer than the UFC,” O’Malley continued. “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.”
O’Malley (18-2) surrendered his crown to Merab Dvalishvili atop the UFC 306 fight card last fall and is coming off hip surgery, which is likely to keep the 30 year-old slugger out of action until second quarter 2025. By then, we may have a new champion at 135 pounds, assuming the Suga State Athletic Commission upholds the UFC 311 results.