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It's not often we get to cross the intersection of sports and politics, but on Tuesday that's exactly what happened when a congressional hearing devolved into an angry confrontation between Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma, who is critical of unions, and Teamsters president Sean O’Brien.
O'Brien was the youngest person elected as President of Teamsters Local Union 25 and was the Secretary-Treasurer of New England Joint Council 10. And while Mullin may be a former MMA fighter and favored in most bouts by default, O'Brien doesn't look like someone to mess around with.
To that end, BetOnline released odds of Mullin 1/20 while O'Brien would pay out $700 on a $100 bet. The fight has to happen and be officiated of course (hopefully by Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders). Whether that happens or not, there are still plenty of matches to choose from in the world of MMA and boxing here.
In case you missed it, the heated exchange led to Mullin telling O'Brien to “stand your butt up” and settle longstanding differences right there in the room.
Sanders, the chairman of the Senate panel that was holding the hearing, yelled at Mullin to sit down after he challenged O’Brien to a fight. Mullin had stood up from his seat at the dais and appeared to start taking his ring off.
Too often, big union bosses intimidate, threaten, and bully employees and job creators to get their way. That might work on some people, but not on me. Yesterday I made it clear: in Oklahoma, you don't issue a challenge unless you're going to answer the call. pic.twitter.com/N4A3uRPTHj
— Markwayne Mullin (@SenMullin) November 15, 2023
“This is the time, this is the place,” Mullin told O’Brien after reading a series of critical tweets O’Brien had sent about him in the past. “If you want to run your mouth, we can be two consenting adults. We can finish it here.”
“This is a hearing, and God knows the American people have enough contempt for Congress, let’s not make it worse,” Sanders said.
As Mullin persisted, O’Brien retorted: “You challenged me to a cage match, acting like a twelve year old schoolyard bully.”
Well, enter BetOnline.
Their odds below equate to a 95.2% implied probability that Mullin would emerge victorious in a sanctioned bout.
Mullin had this to say via his Twitter account Wednesday afternoon:
"Too often, big union bosses intimidate, threaten, and bully employees and job creators to get their way. That might work on some people, but not on me. Yesterday I made it clear: in Oklahoma, you don't issue a challenge unless you're going to answer the call."
- Don Shapiro, Gambling911.com
