Sean O’Malley Enthusiastic About Possibility of Eventually Fighting in Japan

After attending Rizin 49 "Decade" as a guest, Sean O'Malley is intrigued about the possibility of competing in Japan — but only under the Ultimate Fighting Championship banner.

“Right now, obviously, I’m with the UFC,” O’Malley said at a post-fight press conference. “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.”

Rizin 49 served as the Japanese promotion’s traditional year-end event, and as usual, it was quite the spectacle, including a supersized fight card that featured three championship bouts at the top of the bill. O’Malley came away impressed with the proceedings.

“The production of the show was incredible, the energy in the arena was incredible, the ring girls are incredible,” he said. “Overall impression of Japan, this has been the most fun trip I’ve ever been on and I would love to come back.”

However, O’Malley is not as interested in competing under the Pride rule set utilized by Rizin — which includes kicks and knees to the head of a downed opponent — because he doesn’t believe that it necessarily plays to his strengths as a fighter.

“I noticed when I went in there, the ring is a lot softer than the UFC. The UFC platform is thinner. That would be a little bit different,” O’Malley said. “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.”

The Octagon hasn’t touched down in Japan since September 2017, when Ovince St. Preux submitted Yushin Okami in the UFC Fight Night 117 headliner at Saitama Super Arena. However, Rizin president Nobuyuki Sakakibara was a guest at UFC 310 on Dec. 7, and Dana White expressed interest in holding another Fight Night event in Japan sometime in the near future.