After amassing a 2-5 record in the UFC and dropping his last three in a row, it seemed like Sean O'Connell was going to walk away from the sport empty handed.
Instead, he decided to join PFL for their 2018 season and ended up shocking everyone with a third-round doctor’s stoppage win over Vinny Magalhaes, winning the light heavyweight tournament and claiming the $1 million dollar prize. O’Connell then rode off into the sunset, retired and became a PFL commentator.
O’Connell, who faced his toughest challenge in the finals, believes it’s best to have your toughest battles late, when they matter most. On Thursday at PFL Week 4, Chris Curtis will take on reigning welterweight champion Magomed Magomedkerimov, which could very well be a finals fight.
And while Curtis is happy to be taking on such a tough challenge early, O’Connell disagrees.
“Hell no, you want the toughest guys in the playoffs, when it matters most,” O’Connell told MMA Junkie Radio. “Because it serves two purposes right: You prove a lot by beating those guys, and you eliminate them from the tournament, you get them out. So even if Chris Curtis beats (Magomedkerimov) in this fight, it doesn’t do anything to eliminate him from the season. You might have to fight him again, and all of us that have been watching this sport, following this sport, know how difficult it is to beat somebody twice. So I respect the hell out of Chris’ ambition here, but if I want my toughest fights, I want them in the playoffs.”
Curtis is very confident going into his fight with Magomedkerimov, believing he’s the best fighter in the tournament.
“He wants to send a message,” O’Connell said of Curtis. “And if he does pull an upset and beat (Magomedkerimov), that is the statement win of the season so far. That would be a complete shift in the power dynamics, and then all of a sudden Chris Curtis is the man to beat because he knocked off the king.”
O’Connell continued, “I think welterweight is the toughest division right now and even though (Magomedkerimov) is going to go in as the favorite, I think Chris has a chance, which tells you a lot about the depths of the welterweight division.
“The Chris Curtis-Magomed Magomedkerimov fight, that matters. That is something that can change the whole game at welterweight this year for PFL.”
For more on PFL 2019, Week 4, check out the MMA Rumors section of the site.
MMA Junkie Radio broadcasts Monday-Friday at 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT) live from Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino’s Race & Sports Book. The show is hosted by “Gorgeous” George Garcia, Brian “Goze” Garcia and Dan Tom. For more information or to download past episodes, go to www.mmajunkie.com/radio. You can also check out www.siriusxm.com/siriusxmfightnation.
