Tim Welch would somewhat see UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley dominate Marlon Vera than knock him out.
O’Malley (17-1 MMA, 9-1 UFC) runs issues again with Vera (21-8-1 MMA, 15-7 UFC) for his first title protection in Saturday’s UFC 299 (pay-per-view, ESPNews, ESPN+) headliner at Kaseya Middle in Miami.
O’Malley is raring to avenge the lone lack of his profession to Vera in August 2020, which he’s adamant was a fluke given he was injured within the closing moments. His head coach, Welch, thinks dominating Vera from bell to bell would make a much bigger assertion than an early end.
“I imply, if he knocked him out, cool,” Welsh informed Submission Radio. “However it might be extra satisfying going 5 rounds and having Sean piece him aside the entire time, break down his physique, take him down, and simply beat his ass and break him bodily for 5 rounds. Folks assume, ‘Oh my God, he will get drained, he has a cardio downside.’ It’s like, you’ve by no means fought him.
“He decides the tempo. They usually’re like, ‘Hey, look how drained he acquired towards Petr.’ It’s like, as a result of that struggle was a dash from the start, and it was such a high-paced struggle. The paces are completely different in 5 rounds. So, it’d be satisfying for me – and I do know he’s acquired the conditioning to do it – to go on the market for 25 minutes and simply make ‘Chito’ look dangerous and whoop his ass for 25 minutes and break him.”
Welch hasn’t seen any huge enhancements in Vera’s sport. “Chito” is coming off a choice win over Pedro Munhoz however had a lackluster efficiency in a loss to Cory Sandhagen within the struggle prior.
“I imply, after watching him vs. Cory Sandhagen, I do know that was in all probability a nasty night time. I do know he had a struggle canceled about three weeks prior, so he may have been over educated for that struggle,” Welch mentioned. “I believe that’s why he seemed so dangerous towards Cory Sandhagen. Nevertheless it doesn’t appear like he actually acquired leaps higher wherever.
“He had that shut struggle with Pedro Munoz. However like I mentioned, he’s harmful and he’s sturdy and he’s acquired a powerful thoughts, and a powerful thoughts and being sturdy can get you actually far in preventing. I simply don’t assume at this point in time, I don’t assume you could be the kind of athlete ‘Chito’ is and turn into a champion.”
Former champion Aljamain Sterling, whom O’Malley knocked out to assert the bantamweight title, suggested Vera to make it a “boring” struggle. He additionally mentioned he heard Vera had a nasty camp, which Michael Bisping denied after chatting with Vera’s head coach, Jason Parillo. Welch hopes that received’t be the case.
“I hope ‘Chito’ comes and tries to make it a struggle,” Welch mentioned. “I hope he tries to come back and make it a struggle. If he’s going to sit down there and attempt to go level for level with Sean for 5 rounds, he’s the slower man. If he did have a nasty camp, he is likely to be proud of simply going to a choice and shedding. So long as he doesn’t get completed, he is likely to be proud of that if he had a horrible camp.
“I hope he involves win, involves win, involves attempt to f*ck Sean up and make it a struggle. Not make it a boring struggle the place he’s standing, like I mentioned, going level for level. As a result of if he does go level for level, it’s like, OK, Sean’s going to do this. He’s simply as lengthy, he’s quicker, he’s extra correct. He’s going to win a 5 spherical choice then.”
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