Your reaction if O'Malley pulls a Sandhagen against Chito? How likely do you think it is?

[HatKick]

Not happening. He modelled his game after Conor's. Only time he might shoot a takedown is if he gets rocked.

Chito has bad tdd but is a pretty good grappler. If Sean takes him down he'll get back up.

That said Sean will win via being the better striker.

 

[Reptile_Bong_Hit]

Does he have the same wrestling as Sandhagen? Doubt it.

Same. Sandhagen’s a bit more musclular too (doesn’t mean he stronger necessarily).

That said, O’Malley’s pretty athletic and Chito appears to have a wrestling weakness. Funny to consider, but unlikely.

 

[Reptile_Bong_Hit]

Not happening. He modelled his game after Conor's. Only time he might shoot a takedown is if he gets rocked.

Chito has bad tdd but is a pretty good grappler. If Sean takes him down he'll get back up.

That said Sean will win via being the better striker.

Agree with 75%. Sean did fantastic in the stand-up against Aljo and Yan. I don’t think Chito could handle Aljo’s grappling, but I do think he could give Aljo problems in rounds 3-5 (if it stayed on the feet somehow).

And I have no idea how Chito does against Yan (since their both slow starters—and durable). That could end up looking like Hendo vs Shogun in round 5.

Basically, I’m not as confident O’Malley will keep up his head start once the avalanche begins. I think O’Malley takes the early rounds but I don’t know how he’s gonna look in rounds 3-5 after checking (best case scenario) kicks and being chased around for 10-15 minutes.

 

[Harlekin]

1st round will be super boring.
Chito plods, O Malley has fast footwork and will try out land him like 12 to 8

Next rounds:
Either Vera can land enough calf kicks to slow or injure Sean, or he gets outpointed while running into counters

 

[NoSmilez]

Sean might be a better fighter than Chito in terms of skillset. Chito is competitive by being big and tough. I wouldn't say the first fight was a fluke or a freak accident but I don't believe O'Malley will come in this fight without prepping for leg kicks.

 

[HatKick]

Agree with 75%. Sean did fantastic in the stand-up against Aljo and Yan. I don’t think Chito could handle Aljo’s grappling, but I do think he could give Aljo problems in rounds 3-5 (if it stayed on the feet somehow).

And I have no idea how Chito does against Yan (since their both slow starters—and durable). That could end up looking like Hendo vs Shogun in round 5.

Basically, I’m not as confident O’Malley will keep up his head start once the avalanche begins. I think O’Malley takes the early rounds but I don’t know how he’s gonna look in rounds 3-5 after checking (best case scenario) kicks and being chased around for 10-15 minutes.

I agree there's a chance Chito will have more success in later rounds. One thing is to outstrike Chito for 2 or 3 rounds which I think O'Malley will easily do, but 5 rounds is another story. Chito is such a machine. That's where some lay'n'pray wrestling would come in handy for Sean but I don't think he has that in his skillset.
I'm sticking to my guns and picking Sean by comfortable UD but it's not as black and white as I first said.

 

[Skarsgard]

To be honest, Sandhagen is probably just better than Sean in just about every area outside of boxing. He's certainly more proven against top competition.

 

[SkinnyClaw]

I think people are underestimating Corey's grappling because of that Aljo destruction, there's nothing to suggest Sean can wrestle anywhere near as good as Corey, and Chito is not a bum on the ground either. I think its Corey and Chito both being underestimated in that department, and I don't believe Sean would go down that route, even if he was down on the scorecards I believe he would just look for a finish on the feet instead of grappling.

 

[Fjord]

Depends on which Vera shows up. The relentless forward marching and kicking cardio machine or the hesitant and surprisingly slow looking fighter.

I think Vera's gonna have an amazing fight and bring it all. He knows this might be his only opportunity. He's gonna be thinking about what and where he came from, from absolutely nothing in Ecuador to having the chance to wear UFC gold and set himself and his family up for life and become a legend globally.

We really should see a Pantoja and Moreno style fight.

 

[FlowchartRog]

In the first fight it "sounded" like Sean was really cracking him with those kicks. Not sure if Chito ever commented on them as far as doing any damage but probably he would say they werent. Then Chio started to land some shots and it was looking more even. Sean rolled his ankle bad - it was a legit injury and no way he could continue from that point. Watch when he rolls it - even Chito pointed at him like you just f'd it up. Based on that fight and Chito's durability I find it hard to see how Sean wins in a 5 rounder

Most of what you said is accurate, apart from the rolling his ankle bit. He only rolled his ankle because his leg was kicked, that was it. It was a kick that hit the peroneal nerve and caused him to essentially lose control of his foot, making it all floppy and rolling it, and obviously injuring it.

The point is it wasn't just some random thing like he landed funny, it was 100% a kick that caused it to happen. Was it a freakishly placed kick that landed right on the button? Absolutely, but it was a kick all the same

I hope you're right and Chito wins again, but like I said Chito hasn't looked good at all in his most recent 2 fights, and Sean has looked much better than expected in his most recent 2. He's definitely improved.

 

[Vampire life]

No way... he's going out there to put Chito to sleep in brutal fashion.

View attachment 1028438

I really, really dislike him

 

[Copper Burner]

Sean has great skills, but we haven't seen him come back from real adversity yet. Moutinho had O'Malley backpedalling and eating shots at certain points. Yeah moutinhi was on the receiving end of a beat down the entire rest of the fight, but he had moments that exposed O'Malley.

Chito takes this one.

 

[Georges Hefner]

To be honest, Sandhagen is probably just better than Sean in just about every area outside of boxing. He's certainly more proven against top competition.

Nah not even close. Petr schooled Cory and had tough time with Sean . Sean is the best striker in the division

 

[kingofthecans]

I hope he pulls a Bryce Mitchell when he fought Josh Emmett.

 

[Skarsgard]

Nah not even close. Petr schooled Cory and had tough time with Sean . Sean is the best striker in the division

Petr won a close decision against Cory that many felt he lost.

 

[Yep]

Congrats op. This is gonna either be a really dumb thread or a legendary one if it ends up happening. I like Chito except when he talks so I’m hoping this doesn’t happen but if it does, this thread will be a banger.

 

[gentel]

Petr won a close decision against Cory that many felt he lost.

No way, I love Sandhagen and he's my favorite fighter in the division but he got schooled - he held in there and landed some decent stuff but you'd have to be very biased to score that for Cory

 

[Chael_Sonnen]

He was completely lost underneath Aldo and begging the ref to bail him out. I'd say his grappling is below average for top 10.

Aldo has a very good top game though, even though he doesn't get to show it much.

 

[Reptile_Bong_Hit]

Congrats op. This is gonna either be a really dumb thread or a legendary one if it ends up happening. I like Chito except when he talks so I’m hoping this doesn’t happen but if it does, this thread will be a banger.

I don’t think it’ll happen, but I also don’t think it’s as remote as it seems at first blush. Reason being, if you have an athlete with even a remotely balanced skillset, the Sandhagen gameplan is a no-brainer.

 

[JustforBROCK]

Depends on which Vera shows up. The relentless forward marching and kicking cardio machine or the hesitant and surprisingly slow looking fighter.

I think Vera's gonna have an amazing fight and bring it all. He knows this might be his only opportunity. He's gonna be thinking about what and where he came from, from absolutely nothing in Ecuador to having the chance to wear UFC gold and set himself and his family up for life and become a legend globally.

We really should see a Pantoja and Moreno style fight.

Agreed. As much as people would probably think its stupid Chito needs to bring the heat from the opening bell and look for a finish ASAP - I think thats how he keeps Omalley from getting off. If he plods and lets Omalley pick his shots he could lose even if it goes 5 rounds just like the yan bullshit.