Is anyone picking cejudo over merab?

[HuskySamoan]

I've always said, if you're tryin' to progress at the highest level and you base yourself out of Vegas, you should probably train at Xtreme Couture. I follow Xtreme Couture and Syndicate MMA (Cause I love Jordan Leavitt and he just switched) and it seems to me that Merab is training at Syndicate since he's in most of their pictures. Which means he's got np being the best guy in the room, which isn't always good. (Did him and Aljo just move to Vegas? I can't tell, even after asking chat gpt, but I think they might've)

I'm a huge fan of Cejudo, so that gives me confidence that Henry might be able to get the job done. However, I bet the house on him in his last fight and tbh, I knew we lost before the scorecards were read. That Henry didn't look good at all to me, idgaf what a random person, whose scorecard mattered, thought. Henry clearly lost that fight and I thought he looked like horse$h1t. Tbh, I would've felt terrible cashing in that ticket, even though it could've bought me a car. So, as a loyal person, I still love Henry, but I can't pick him to win this one. (Even though he might be a better striker)

Aljo and Merab historically have trained in Vegas when not at Longos, for a while they trained at Xtreme Couture actually but I think with Umar, Javid and a few others climbing the ranks it may have become kinda a conflict.

 

[VAfan]

merab's gotta be a big favorite, but if anyone can pull off the upset cejudo can. like him or not, he's one of the greats. yeah he's 37 but he could still pull something out of his ass to win. merab is basically a decision machine so maybe henry could stay on the outside and outpoint him, although keeping up with that pace would be pretty tricky.

 

[SeattleFightFan]

Honest question … is anyone picking Henry over Merab?

I actually like the king of cringe and respect Olympic athletes on a different level ….

But …. Merab seems like the lock of a lifetime to me !

I’m putting all personal feelings and likes aside …. Because god knows I had next level hate for Merab a few years ago after some of his “Aldo performances” …. But I think he dominates this fight and makes it look easy and retires henry .

Too much volume /pace /cardio …. And his wrestling will be more than enough … if sterling could outwrestle and outstrike Henry - so can Merab to a clearer extent imo …. I cnat see a 37 yr old Henry having any advantage in any area …

Am I crazy ? Anyone picking Henry ?
I’m gunna throw a 1000 on Merab (I place bet tickets in betting forum)

No but I’m picking decision!

 

[NoBiasJustMMA]

I thought Cejudo is a better wrestler than Merab.

In pure wrestling he is but his MMA wrestling doesn't seem as good.

 

[NoBiasJustMMA]

I think Cejudo should be favored tbh because he has better fight IQ, more experience and should be able to negate the grappling of Merab.

If he can't keep Merab off him it won't matter if he can stop the takedowns if all he's doing is defending.

 

[Doughie99]

I just cannot see Merab dropping htis fight against the CringeLord.

9-fight win streak, he hasn't lost in almost 6 years.

 

[brody_in_ga]

I'm just glad it's 3 rds and not 5...

 

[JudoThrowFiasco]

Yep

 

[Domitian]

I'm just glad it's 3 rds and not 5...

Honestly that fact alone probably increases Henry's chance to win by like 10-15%. He has 5 round cardio already but dealing with a monster like Merab it's good it's only 3 rounds. He just has to win 2.

 

[Kb7]

He's washed (well, past-prime, really -- "washed" suggests something else) because he's a 37-year-old Bantamweight who had his best success at Flyweight.

I don't see Cejudo grinding out Merab. If anything I see it going the other way. I think Merab will fight him in a similar way that he fought Yan.

I can see why a 37yr old Bantamweight can be considered wash, based on history and stats by age and weight classes.

Cejudo has 2 great wins at FLY against Demetrius and Tj
And 2 great wins at Bantam against Moraes & Cruz and arguably could've won against Sterling after a long lay off.

I for one don't believe Cejudo is out of his prime and will give Merab and fight of his life.

 

[Safton]

I can see why a 37yr old Bantamweight can be considered wash, based on history and stats by age and weight classes.

Cejudo has 2 great wins at FLY against Demetrius and Tj
And 2 great wins at Bantam against Moraes & Cruz and arguably could've won against Sterling after a long lay off.

I for one don't believe Cejudo is out of his prime and will give Merab and fight of his life.

He's absolutely out of his prime. A guy who had his best years at Flyweight and has been very inactive lately who's now nearing 40 isn't going to be in his athletic or competitive prime. There's no way around it, IMO. The dreaded 35 mark is has some leeway at certain levels of competition or the higher weight classes, but at the elite level of the small dudes? Nah, it's generally unforgiving for older men. Cejudo recently had that shoulder surgery, too.

He definitely didn't beat Sterling IMO. It was a competitive fight, which is a credit to Henry, but Aljo won. Speaking of that fight, Cejudo sorta showed in that bout that he had lost a step IMO. He was coming up short on his strikes, his timing and range seemed off, etc. On paper I can see where he matches up well against Merab... but we've said that before about other guys and Merab has found ways to neutralize them. I could see Cejudo having some success early, but I suspect Merab proves to be the steadier man down the stretch.

 

[Kb7]

He's absolutely out of his prime. A guy who had his best years at Flyweight and has been very inactive lately who's now nearing 40 isn't going to be in his athletic or competitive prime. There's no way around it, IMO. The dreaded 35 mark is has some leeway at certain levels of competition or the higher weight classes, but at the elite level of the small dudes? Nah, it's generally unforgiving for older men. Cejudo recently had that shoulder surgery, too.

He definitely didn't beat Sterling IMO. It was a competitive fight, which is a credit to Henry, but Aljo won. Speaking of that fight, Cejudo sorta showed in that bout that he had lost a step IMO. He was coming up short on his strikes, his timing and range seemed off, etc. On paper I can see where he matches up well against Merab... but we've said that before about other guys and Merab has found ways to neutralize them. I could see Cejudo having some success early, but I suspect Merab proves to be the steadier man down the stretch.

You're entitled to your opinion, I'll wait it out till he Cejudo is actually losing to fighters he shouldn't be losing to.

Being competitive against then the world champion in Aterling and losing a close fight doesn't compute to me that he's out of his prime from what he showed in performance based also a long lay off.

Just because there hasn't been a champion post 35 or whatever age in the lighter doesn't always constitute to fighters being out od their prime, competition has a lot more value and the performances against saidncompetition to me is much more of a standard.

 

[The Legendary Scarface]

Exactly this.

Plus youd think Yan would have done that,but he didnt. So its less likely for Cejudo imo.

Great point!

 

[StonedLemur]

How dare you sir lol

Probably not. It's gonna be a smothering, manlet, snore-fest, either way.

 

[StonedLemur]

You really thought Merab v Yan was a snore fest??? That fight was awesome. I see no reason to think that this fight will be bad. If anything we will probably see some great scrambles and grappling.

That was one hell of a fight, you're right sir.

 

[StonedLemur]

Honest question … is anyone picking Henry over Merab?

I actually like the king of cringe and respect Olympic athletes on a different level ….

But …. Merab seems like the lock of a lifetime to me !

I’m putting all personal feelings and likes aside …. Because god knows I had next level hate for Merab a few years ago after some of his “Aldo performances” …. But I think he dominates this fight and makes it look easy and retires henry .

Too much volume /pace /cardio …. And his wrestling will be more than enough … if sterling could outwrestle and outstrike Henry - so can Merab to a clearer extent imo …. I cnat see a 37 yr old Henry having any advantage in any area …

Am I crazy ? Anyone picking Henry ?
I’m gunna throw a 1000 on Merab (I place bet tickets in betting forum)

Gaethje*

 

[Poirierfan]

The king of cringe is old now and will be majorly huffing and puffing if he can't get lucky early.

 

[HHJ]

It was for sure a ton of scrambles. Endless scrambles. Infinite scrambles. I expect infinite more in this upcoming ad infinitum scramble-fest.

If that is your thing, then enjoy bro.

Scrambles are entertaining.

 

[doggo]

What is Merab's chin like? IF Henry can maybe stuff some takedowns or reverse him while he still has cardio he could maybe do some damage or put him away?

If it passes the first 10 minutes i think Merab will just take over.

 

[Chael_Sonnen]

That was one hell of a fight, you're right sir.

I've rewatched it a bunch because it's a great fight and it's incredible to see Merab absolutely solve the Yan puzzle in a way that only he could accomplish. Also shutting up Yan and his supporters is always a bonus.