Bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley will make his first title defense on Saturday in the main event of UFC 299: O’Malley vs. Vera 2 in a rematch against rival Marlon Vera. Their five-round battle tops the main UFC 299 fight card starting at 10 p.m. ET from the Kaseya Center in Miami. O’Malley, one of the UFC’s most-hyped prospects in recent memory, delivered on his potential when he took the belt from former champion Aljamain Sterling with a second-round knockout last August. His first defense comes against a dangerous brawler in the No. 5-ranked Vera, who scored a first-round knockout when they met in August 2020. The defeat remains the lone blemish on O’Malley’s UFC record.
O’Malley is a -280 favorite (risk $280 to win $100), while Vera is a +230 underdog in the latest UFC 299: O’Malley vs. Vera 2 odds. The co-main event features former interim lightweight champion Dustin Poirier (+190) taking on rising prospect Benoit Saint Denis (-230). Before locking in your UFC 299 picks, make sure you check out the MMA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine expert Daniel Vithlani.
From breaking down film and following fighters and their camps closely, to tracking sharp action and betting market signals, Vithlani covers the breadth of the MMA betting landscape top to bottom. He also trains amateur boxers and speaks regularly with MMA fighters to understand the sport’s nuances.
Vithlani made his SportsLine debut last January of last year and swept the main card for UFC 283 with a 5-0 record and has been a consistent winner ever since. At UFC 292 in August, he called the upset for O’Malley (+210) against the reigning champion Sterling (-250) in the main event. Anyone who has followed Vithlani already has seen massive returns.
Now, with UFC 299: O’Malley vs. Vera 2 on deck, Vithlani has studied the card from top to bottom and released his top selections. You can only see those picks at SportsLine.
UFC 299: O’Malley vs. Vera 2 preview
O’Malley (17-1-1) is perhaps the most polarizing current champion on the UFC roster. Once dubbed a “permanent prospect” by a prominent MMA analyst, he has been criticized for both a risk-averse style and taking on a long slate of meager opposition before stepping up to tougher competition.
His first fight against a ranked opponent resulted in the loss to Vera, and his second resulted in a no-contest against durable veteran Pedro Munhoz because of an eye poke from O’Malley. Somehow, he was paired against former champion Petr Yan, who was ranked No. 1 at the time, in his next appearance and won a disputed split decision at UFC 280 in October 2022.
Even so, the 29-year-old Montana native, who is known for his massive following on social media, made the most of his subsequent title fight against Sterling by landing an overhand right to counter a Sterling takedown attempt and finished the fight with a flurry of punches.
A rematch with Vera, 31, was long anticipated, though few MMA observers expected it to come in a title fight.
Vera (23-8-1) is a 10-year UFC veteran known for his sinister disposition in the cage and relentless brawling style. The Ecuador-born fighter has had memorable battles against numerous top-tier opponents, and his resume includes knockout wins over former champions Dominick Cruz and Frankie Edgar.
Following his win over O’Malley, Vera lost a five-round decision to former champion Jose Aldo but has since embarked on a run to win five of six and emerge as a title contender. You can see more UFC 299 picks at SportsLine.
UFC 299 predictions
We’ll share one of Vithlani’s UFC 299 selections here: He is backing Ion Cutelaba (-135) to get past Phillipe Lins (+110) in a light heavyweight matchup on the preliminary card.
Cutelaba (17-9-1) is a seven-year UFC veteran and power puncher who was once seen as a potential contender but who has struggled against upper-tier competition. The Moldovan slugger ended a three-fight skid with a stoppage of Tanner Boser last April.
Lins (17-5) is a former heavyweight who has won three consecutive fights since moving down to light heavyweight. The Brazilian took a decision over Maxim Grishin last June.
“Cutelaba is a menacing wrestler who has nasty ground-and-pound. If he can take Lins down and control top position, Cutelaba will rain down heavy blows,” Vithlani told SportsLine. You can see more UFC 299 picks at SportsLine.
How to make UFC 299 picks
Vithlani has strong picks for O’Malley vs. Vera and other bouts on the UFC 299 fight card. He’s also backing a fighter who “has crisp boxing and championship-level experience” to emerge with a dominant victory. Those picks are only available at SportsLine.
Who wins UFC 299: O’Malley vs. Vera 2, and how exactly does each fight end? Visit SportsLine now to get detailed picks on UFC 299, all from the MMA expert who profited more than $6,200, and find out.
UFC 299 odds, fight card
See full UFC 299 picks, predictions, best bets here.
Sean O’Malley (-280) vs. Marlon Vera (+230)
Benoit Saint Denis (-230) vs. Dustin Poirier (+190)
Gilbert Burns (+130) vs. Jack Della Maddalena (-160)
Kevin Holland (-135) vs. Michael Page (+115)
Song Yadong (+100) vs. Petr Yan (-120)
Katyln Cerminara (+170) vs. Maycee Barber (-205)
Mateusz Gamrot (-460) vs. Rafael Dos Anjos (+340)
Curtis Blaydes (-110) vs. Jailton Almeida (-110)
Michal Oleksiejczuk (+120) vs. Michel Pereira (-140)
Robelis Despaigne (-330) vs. Josh Parisian (+240)
Ion Cutelaba (-135) vs. Phillipe Lins (+110)
