LAS VEGAS – Jon Anik suggests one of the biggest stars on the UFC roster as Georges St-Pierre’s grappling match opponent.
Former welterweight and middleweight champion St-Pierre will take part in a UFC Fight Pass Invitational no-gi jiu-jitsu match Dec. 14, and the UFC’s play-by-play commentator thinks Sean O'Malley should be his opponent.
O’Malley, who challenges bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling in the UFC 292 headliner Aug. 19 in Boston, took part in the Quintet Ultra grappling competition in 2019. He tapped out Takanori Gomi with a guillotine choke, but then was submitted by former UFC middleweight Hector Lombard. O’Malley then went to a draw with former Strikeforce lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez.
“There are a lot of willing and able grapplers out there. I don’t know – maybe ‘Suga’ Sean O’Malley,” Anik told MMA Junkie and other reporters Thursday on the UFC Hall of Fame red carpet. “How about that? He’s competed before, Quintet Ultra against Gilbert Melendez. It was very competitive, a little bit of a size discrepancy. ‘Suga’ Sean O’Malley, Georges St-Pierre, under the lights in December, UFC Fight Pass Invitational, let’s go!”
Check out what Anik had to say about St-Pierre’s return to competition, the 2023 UFC Hall of Fame and more below.
On 2023, the UFC’s 30th anniversary year
“It’s been pretty wild, right? We’ve gotten back to the international flare with a lot of the pay-per-views. It began in Rio. We found ourselves in Perth (Australia) and then to London. So for me, I think that’s my biggest takeaway from 2023, is that we are now, once again, not just extending our tentacles internationally, but bringing the big shows back to these major markets that really can support it. We’re going to Sydney in September, so, it’s a huge year for the UFC. There have been a lot of great moments so far.”
On what he’s most excited for the second half of the year
“I am a native Bostonian, so it’s hard for me to not center on Aug. 19, UFC 292 in Boston, Massachusetts. There’s so many different interesting storylines leading into that pay-per-view, chief among them, the (bantamweight) champion Aljamain Sterling is still battling injuries. I saw him at the UFC PI (Wednesday) and this is not at all happening on his terms. It’s just a very interesting storyline leading up to that main event. So I do have my eyes on UFC 292. (And) I think we’re all fascinated to see exactly what the headlining act is going to be for UFC 293 in Sydney.”
On people wondering where the stars are
“It’s just exciting to be in this sport at this point in time. You know, oftentimes people say to me, ‘Oh, you know, Conor McGregor and Ronda (Rousey) are gone. When’s the next superstar coming through the door?’ They emerge all the time – even my man Chepe Mariscal a few weeks ago. I’m obviously excited (about MMA). I have my dream job. I’m just trying to hold it down.”
On Jon Jones, Israel Adesanya’s playful moment
“Absolutely (I was glad to see Jones and Adesanya bury the hatchet). Certainly as a commentator, when you’re calling fights in a broad sense, you like there to be heat and friction on a fight. Promotionally, I think it’s easier to build and I think just as a sports fan, you like some of that heat.
“But I have softened in my advanced age now, 45 years old, and that triggered my emotions just to see two guys that maybe verbally have said things about each other in the past that weren’t ideal, to see them bury the hatchet and have that moment – two of the greatest of all time. That was pretty sweet to see.”
On which fight he’s called should be in the HOF
“Probably Matt Brown against Erik Silva in Cincinnati in 2014. Now, I love that fight between Antonio ‘Bigfoot’ Silva and Mark Hunt (in) Brisbane, Australia, in 2013. But our matchmaker, Mick Maynard, softly reminded me that ‘Bigfoot’ popped after the fight. So maybe that one’s not getting in the Hall of Fame.
“I do believe Matt Brown, on the merits of his body of work, could find himself in the Modern Era Wing of the Hall of Fame. But I do think if you’re going to take one of Matt Brown’s fights and use that as the conduit through which he gets into the Hall of Fame, Matt Brown vs. Erik Silva 2014, one of the best fights I’ve ever called.”
On Cormier saying Jim Miller shouldn’t be a HOFer
“Jim Miller’s got a lot more than wins. He’s got a lot of appearances, he’s got a lot of finishes. He’s also done it in what I believe is the best division in the UFC, 155 pounds. They tell me in my line of work that availability is the best ability, and Jim Miller has been available every step of the way. But when you potentially retire as the UFC’s all-time wins leader, I absolutely think Jim Miller has a case. You guys know our Hall of Fame’s a little bit funky with the four different wings. We’re going to find a way to get Jim Miller in, DC, if it’s the last thing I do.”
On excitement for other HOFers
“I was very emotional when Daniel Cormier was going in. That was a unique experience for me just because he’s my broadcast partner and dear friend. But the athlete that I am most starstruck on this entire roster is Jose Aldo Jr., ‘The King of Rio.’ He’s headlining this class here tonight, and I get anxious around him. Twenty years into this business, I still get anxious around Jose Aldo Jr. (I’m) very excited to see him take his rightful place in the Hall of Fame. He’ll be dripping with class all the way up there. And, of course, Anderson Silva and (Donald) ‘Cowboy’ (Cerrone) and everybody else. It’s a special class to be sure.”
On a past awkward moment on the HOF stage
“I actually made the mistake of drinking some freezing-cold water backstage before I inducted the fight between Dan Henderson and (Mauricio) ‘Shogun’ Rua. And I’m not encouraging your audience to go to UFC Fight Pass and check this out. But dude. Like, the music started playing and saved my ass because my vocal chords froze and I couldn’t utter the name ‘Dan Henderson.’ So it’s always emotional up there. When I start to talk about Jens Pulver, even in rehearsal, I feel goosebumps coming on my arms. But that Hendo-Shogun, that moment was an absolute disaster. Yeah. Go check it out.”
On potential for a Ronda Rousey comeback
“I would encourage it, in some part, but I would also be hypocritical if I said to you she should come back and fight for the title just because of this Amanda Nunes vacancy. In the past, I have said aloud I didn’t love that Henry Cejudo got to come back and cut the entire line of all these bantamweight contenders that had been in the gauntlet, that had been in the USADA pool for three years, right? I like a meritocracy, and there are definitely worthwhile contenders – Raquel Pennington and Juliana Peña chief among them. So, as a mixed martial arts fan, I get a little bit uneasy when someone comes back having not competed and just cuts the line. But if anyone deserves to cut the line, it’s probably Ronda.”
