'They know what I bring to the table': James Gallagher begins his RIZIN chapter in Japan

It’s Sakura season in Japan. Cherry blossoms light up the walkways and parks in a time that symbolizes rebirth, vitality and hope. At parties and gatherings across “The Land of the Rising Sun,” people meet and toast a fresh start for their various aspirations, be it in business or education.

“The timing is perfect,” says James Gallagher, who makes his RIZIN debut Saturday at RIZIN Landmark 13 in Fukuoka when he faces veteran campaigner Kazumasa Majima. Once viewed as one of the biggest ticket-sellers on the Bellator roster during his heyday, the late promotion built an entire market in Gallagher’s homeland with a great assist from the Irishman. Although he wasn’t among the vocal protestors following Bellator’s dissolution, Gallagher was assumed to be among the veterans left in a grey area when the company merged with PFL, with his relatively lucrative contract forcing a freeze to his activity.

His first and only outing for PFL resulted in a loss to tricky Brazilian featherweight Leandro Higo in 2024. The lack of a promotional push he was given for the Belfast bout hit home with the MMA masses on the island. Formerly the face of Bellator in his neck of the woods, Gallagher didn’t even feature on the poster for the SSE Arena event.

“It was all just a bit weird compared to how it usually was,” he admits. “It just didn’t feel the same. Honestly, I’m there to fight so I don’t really give a f*** if I’m on a poster or not, but you could tell everything was a bit more of a chore for them.