UFC welterweight contender Michael Chiesa doesn’t believe his upcoming opponent, surging prospect Sean Brady, has a single hole in his game.
In Chiesa’s third outing of the year, a tally he hasn’t managed since 2013, he’ll be offering a rising contender the chance to make a leap up the 170-pound ladder. Brady, who was last in action when he submitted Jake Matthews at UFC 259 in March, has built a 14-0 record and currently sits at #14 in the welterweight division.
While many would shy away from meeting a fighter ranked eight places below them, Chiesa knows he has to beat the up-and-comers in order to maintain his spot in the weight class, especially after suffering a first-round defeat in his last appearance.
At UFC 265 in August, “Maverick” saw his attempts to submit Vicente Luque reversed by the Brazilian, who finished him with a memorable D’Arce choke. Chiesa will look to rebound in style by handing Brady the first blemish on his record at UFC Vegas 43 this Saturday.
Chiesa Believes Brady Is Good At Everything, But Not “Really Good” At Anything
Ahead of his second fight in two months, Chiesa made an appearance on Ariel Helwani’s The MMA Hour. Discussing his opponent, the 33-year-old admitted that Brady doesn’t have a single hole in his game. However, while he knows the 28-year-old is well-rounded, Chiesa doesn’t believe he’s exceptionally good in any area.
“I’ll tell you about Sean Brady. He doesn’t have a single hole in his game. He’s as tough as they come. Look, you gotta pay respect to the camp first and foremost. I mean, Daniel Gracie, black belt, you know, training in the same house as Paul Felder when he’s back home. i know those guys are all well-prepared. While I say he’s very good at everything, I don’t think he’s really, really good at anything. I don’t think he’s a specialist. I just think he’s really good everywhere.”
Addressing the surging influx of unbeaten prospects in the welterweight division, Chiesa suggested that Brady should be spoken about and regarded as highly as Khamzat Chimaev, who recently shot to #10 on the 170-pound ladder. But despite Brady’s potential, and his intention to extend his record to 15-0 with a submission stoppage on November 20, Chiesa is confident he has the tools to get past his compatriot.
“I know I’m in for a tough test. I know these tough up-and-coming guys, who are undefeated, they’re no joke. They’re the future of this division. If you’re gonna bring Khamzat Chimaev up a lot, you’ve gotta bring up Sean Brady… But my time hasn’t passed yet. I’m only 33 years old. In terms of fight years, I don’t have a ton of miles on me, I haven’t been in a lot of wars. I’m a tough test for this guy and he’s a tough test for me. I just feel like I have the intangibles, things beyond the Xs and Os that are gonna be the difference maker in this fight.”
Who do you think will have their hand raised in the UFC Vegas 43 co-main event, Michael Chiesa or Sean Brady?
