Odds Sean actually accepts to fight Merab if Chito pulls out?

[markg171]

says he wants to be bigger than mcgregor, these are the moves needed

People forget that a lot of the reason why people liked McGregor on his way up was that he stayed in his fights and remained active even with opponent changes.

- Andy Ogle pulled out so he fought Holloway
- Miller pulled out so he fought Brandao
- Aldo was injured so he fought Siver to stay busy and make the Boston card
- Aldo pulled out so he fought Mendes
- RDA pulled out so he fought Diaz

People knew that when Conor agreed to fight he'd be there and it would be exciting.

 

[omawho402]

What makes him Chinny? Trying to remember the last couple times he's been dropped and it's escaping me (won't lie his last couple fights I was barely watching or my brain has chose to forget them lol)

Rocked by Trip C and nearly finished by Marlon Morales, that's just off the top of my head.

 

[CatchnShoot]

Zero, and not JUST because the UFC won't even offer it up.

 

[Your Two Braincells]

Whatever the odds are on that, I’ll take it. There’s no way Sean is accepting a fight against Merab.

He’s been downplaying Merab as an “easier fight” than Topuria. He never once mentioned the fact that it’s a much more consequential fight than fighting Topuria.

If he fights Merab, he’s basic relying on a punchers chance for the title he has right now.

If he fights Topuria, he’s fighting for someone else’s title, so it has no consequences for him.

Basically what I’m saying is, he will not accept to fight Merab on short notice at 299 and probably not at all ever. He’ll just pretend like Merab doesn’t exist and instead try to get the Topuria fight, which will hold up both divisions for months and it’ll buy him time and hope Merab just fights another contender.

O’Malley has the style to beat Merab in a similar fashion to how he beat Aljo imo. Sean reminds me of a Bantamweight Izzy, skinny long tall rangy guy with deceptive strength, takedown defense and the to sleep most guys. Cejudo caught Merab in their fight and made him pay for his mistakes, O’ Malley has the knockout power to catch Merab the same way and sleep him.

 

[Brigfa2]

%100

 

[Natural Order]

No way O’Malley camps a striker and accepts a grappling savant with endless cardio on a couple days notice.

 

[svmr_db]

Zero, and not JUST because the UFC won't even offer it up.

How would they "not offer it up" in the event Chito pulled out of the fight? You think the UFC are that worried about Merab possibly beating Sean?

Like others have said Sean may be better off fighting a short notice / no camp Merab vs him with a full training camp. He'd be financially incentivized to fight him, this is no longer a PPV card without a title on the line. Hell, he could even get a rematch out of it if he were to lose given the short notice nature.

 

[MindGamingMantis]

0

 

[markg171]

Zero, and not JUST because the UFC won't even offer it up.

Merab is literally the official backup fight. So it's already been both offered and accepted.

You're also batshit crazy if you think the UFC is doing anything to risk this PPV when Francis/Joshua is the night prior. If something happens they're ensuring there's a title fight happening on Saturday evening so yes Merab, or hell Yan, Sadong, Pedro, or Phillips, are getting slotted in to ensure it happens.

Hell, they might even do something as dumb as Dustin/BSD for the BMF interim belt or Blaydes/Almeida for the interim interim HW belt, but there's no way in hell they don't create some title fight to ensure this remains a PPV and counter programming to Joshua/Francis.

How would they "not offer it up" in the event Chito pulled out of the fight? You think the UFC are that worried about Merab possibly beating Sean?

If anything forcing Merab into a title fight is their best option instead of having him constantly just beating other contenders. At least then he'd be doing it as champion.

 

[sonhow]

He might take it especially because Merab just had another weight cut and this would be short notice.

 

[cade187]

Is there talks of Chito pulling out? Or is this just because Merab is the official back up fighter?

I think Sean shocks the haters and accepts the fight if it does happen.

 

[blaseblase]

The UFC put a lot of effort into stacking this card and giving Sean a showcase. I don't think he can afford to pull out. He's not Jon Jones. He's not a star.

 

[roganisonly5foot3]

Why would he? Sean is one of the only exciting stand up champs in the league. He would be stupid to take a short notice fight against some guy who does nothing but constantly spam takedowns that he can’t even hold

 

[svmr_db]

Timestamped @4:04, Sean said he'll fight Merab if Chito pulls out:

 

[CatchnShoot]

Merab is literally the official backup fight. So it's already been both offered and accepted.

You're also batshit crazy if you think the UFC is doing anything to risk this PPV when Francis/Joshua is the night prior. If something happens they're ensuring there's a title fight happening on Saturday evening so yes Merab, or hell Yan, Sadong, Pedro, or Phillips, are getting slotted in to ensure it happens.

Hell, they might even do something as dumb as Dustin/BSD for the BMF interim belt or Blaydes/Almeida for the interim interim HW belt, but there's no way in hell they don't create some title fight to ensure this remains a PPV and counter programming to Joshua/Francis.

If anything forcing Merab into a title fight is their best option instead of having him constantly just beating other contenders. At least then he'd be doing it as champion.

Saying you will do something and doing something are two different things...Id welcome the change, I don't see it happening

 

[kalabula]

Should he? That’s damn near the opposite style matchup that he’s been training for.

 

[markg171]

Saying you will do something and doing something are two different things...Id welcome the change, I don't see it happening

I'm guessing you probably also thought he'd never agree to fight Sterling, Yan, or hell rematch Vera too eh

 

[CatchnShoot]

Not a knock on O Malley at all, my doubt is not with him

 

[NoSmilez]

He probably wouldn’t because he didn’t do any wrestling for this camp. I don’t think he did much grappling for Chito.

 

[Meathead Jock]

I dislike Sean, but I don't think he should have to do it on short notice. That's a huge style change without notice.

I don't get why they are making Merab cut wait for no reason.