On Saturday night, Sean O’Malley travels with his UFC bantamweight belt for the first time as a familiar foe returns to the Octagon to challenge his throne. Although he’s the reigning champion, O’Malley will be licking his wounds. His opponent, Marlon Vera, had the last laugh when the two had squared off at UFC 252 three-and-a-half years back. As the tension builds ahead of this UFC 299 headliner, we bring you the best O’Malley vs. Vera II predictions and based on odds from bookmaker Pinnacle.
UFC 299: O’Malley vs. Vera II Predictions
Besides the thrill of an exciting fight, this O’Malley vs. Vera rematch brings a wealth of wagering opportunities. We’ve combed through the best O’Malley vs. Vera odds to come up with two lucrative predictions.
Marlon Vera Will Win Again
There isn’t much to separate these two fighters. O’Malley is the current bantamweight title holder and has suffered defeat only once in his UFC career. However, he could not have asked for a more difficult title defence as he faces the only fighter against whom he has ever lost. O’Malley will be motivated by the allure of redemption, but his Ecuadorian nemesis might frustrate him once again.
O’Malley’s penchant for flair could well put the nail in his coffin in this fight. Vera, who has been on a redemption run himself following his split decision defeat to Cory Sandhagen last year, is a no-nonsense fighter with nifty footwork. He can squeeze out the space and make O’Malley pay for his flamboyance.
Vera to Win by TKO
A dose of deja vu might be on the cards for O’Malley this weekend. In the last fight between these two, Vera unleashed a relentless wave of tactical attacks targeting O’Malley’s leg that led him to a first-round stoppage victory. The referee announced a TKO victory in Vera’s favour after a low kick grounded the Arizona man. Even though O’Malley refused to accept the result, it ended his unblemished record in the division.
O’Malley will be relying on his raw hitting power to avenge his UFC 252 loss. Vera’s agility, however, gives him the upper hand. The two might battle it out a bit longer this time, but our O’Malley vs. Vera predictions point toward another Vera TKO triumph.
UFC 299: O’Malley vs. Vera II Odds
The O’Malley vs. Vera odds at bookmaker Pinnacle favour a successful title defence for O’Malley. As mentioned above, we don’t agree that a comeback victory for the current champion is a given. O’Malley is at 1.36 to raise his hands to the cheer of the Kaseya Center crowd, while Vera is at 3.25 to retain the bragging rights.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: March 7th, 12:30 P.M. (GMT)
Vera could prove to be too hot to handle for O’Malley once again. At 3.25, this is an excellent outcome to bet on. O’Malley seems far from a lucrative pick, given his dismal odds and vulnerabilities against Vera.
