Sean O’Malley’s trainer, Tim Welch, recently demonstrated his impressive jiu-jitsu expertise in a new video shared online, submitting one of the greatest fighters in UFC history, Demetrious Johnson.
Welch, a highly respected coach in the MMA world, welcomed the legendary former UFC flyweight champion, Demetrious Johnson, to his Red Hawk Academy gym recently. Johnson’s visit occurred while O’Malley is in deep preparation for his upcoming UFC 316 main event against Merab Dvalishvili.
Despite the ongoing fight camp for O`Malley, Welch and Johnson were able to get in a solid training session together. The session was recorded and subsequently shared on their respective YouTube channels, offering fans a glimpse into their high-level grappling exchanges.
Tim Welch Submits Demetrious Johnson in Training Session
During his recent trip to Arizona, Demetrious Johnson spent time training at Tim Welch’s Red Hawk Academy. He participated in activities related to Sean O’Malley’s training camp for UFC 316, joining other notable visitors who have trained with the reigning bantamweight champion.
The two engaged in a gi jiu-jitsu session. Welch provided detailed commentary on the session point by point in a lengthy video. At one juncture, the former Bellator fighter successfully executed a superb submission hold that compelled `Mighty Mouse` to tap out.
Reviewing the footage, Welch explained the technique, noting, “Once you get the back and get the double collars it’s very strong. You’re going to be in very good shape.”
Online viewers who watched the video were quick to point out that Welch’s considerable weight advantage over Johnson, a career flyweight, likely played a factor in the grappling exchange. Welch’s last known competitive weight was 195 lbs during a grappling match in 2020, whereas Johnson last weighed in at 135 lbs for a bantamweight bout in 2023 and maintains a significantly smaller physique.
Sean O’Malley Preparing for UFC 316 Against Merab Dvalishvili
Following his discussion of grappling with Johnson, Welch briefly showed footage of himself and O’Malley training together in the cage. While limited, the video did illustrate the significant size advantage O’Malley possesses relative to opponents in his weight class.
Welch mentioned in his commentary that Johnson completed approximately four or five rounds of training with O’Malley before they transitioned to pad work. ‘Suga’ is currently deep in his training camp, anticipating his fight against Dvalishvili scheduled for June 7 in Newark.
Johnson officially retired last year after concluding his illustrious career successfully in ONE Championship. However, his continued high level of performance in training sessions like this leads many observers to believe he could still compete professionally. Despite this speculation, Johnson clearly stated in the video, “it ain’t happening,” confirming his retired status.
Percy Harlow