Paul Gallen was on the verge of withdrawing from Thursday’s fights over not knowing the format for the evening, but he might be pushed over the edge as the mystery over who will go first will continue until the very last moment.
Gallen takes on Ben Hannant and Justin Hodges on the same evening at the Nissan Arena, with the Cronulla Sharks legend to have a minimum of an hour between the first and second fights.
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There will be two fights sandwiched in between, with Gallen’s bouts also scheduled for four two-minute rounds.
However, foxsports.com.au can exclusively reveal Gallen will not know his opponent until he is in the ring and his opposite number’s walkout music plays, keeping directly with the Royal Rumble-inspired nature of the evening.
It will only rile Gallen up further, given his frustrations with No Limit in the lead-up to the fight having been left in the dark over several details.
The scenes will be even more chaotic given Gallen has less time to prepare than UFC superstar Nate Diaz had when his opponent was changed last-minute from Khamzat Chimaev to Tony Ferguson.
It is also understood Hodges and Hannant have both been instructed to go through their extensive respective warm-up process before the first fight.
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But a final decision as to who will get first dibs on laying their hands on Gallen is to be decided on the basis of a coin toss conducted by No Limit chief executive George Rose.
Hannant and Hodges have preached the value of teamwork in terms of the first man in doing their utmost to soften Gallen up for the second man to take full advantage.
It’s yet another factor of the fight night that will serve as frustration for Gallen, given the proud New South Welshman is entering the eye of the storm up in Brisbane.
Should Gallen be successful in dispatching his first opponent of the night, it is understood the fallen foe will be walking out with their former Maroons teammate and cheering them on from ringside.
There also exists the possibility of the unthinkable happening, as Gallen is no certainty to win his first fight.
If Hodges or Hannant causes the monumental upset, then they will face off in a rematch of their fight in late June.
Not only that, but the man who conquers Gallen will pocket a cool $1 million as a result of a rematch clause inserted into their recently-revised contracts.
