O'Malley vs. Vera 2 odds, UFC 299 predictions, lines, time: Best bets on the Miami fight card by MMA expert
Bantamweight champion Sean O'Malley will attempt to even the score against rival Marlon Vera when they meet for a second time on Saturday in the main event of UFC 299. Their five-round battle anchors the main UFC 299 fight card starting at 10 p.m. ET from the Kaseya Center in Miami. O'Malley, who is making his first title defense, has just one loss in his UFC career that came nearly four years ago at the hands of the battle-tested Vera. O'Malley rebounded to become a champion, while Vera worked his way into title contention. The No. 5-ranked Vera is making his first title-fight appearance after 10 years in the UFC.
O'Malley is a -280 favorite (risk $280 to win $100), while Vera is a +230 underdog (risk $100 to win $230) in the latest UFC 299: O'Malley vs. Vera 2 odds. In the co-main event, rising lightweight contender Benoit Saint Denis (-230) meets former interim champion Dustin Poirier (+190). Before locking in your UFC 299 picks, make sure you see the MMA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine analyst Kyle Marley.
Marley won the first-ever "ToutMaster" UFC betting contest sponsored by MMAOddsBreaker and appears regularly on multiple MMA betting and daily Fantasy shows. He watches every single fight for every professional MMA card and does extensive research before each event.
Over the past five years, $100 bettors who have followed Marley's picks are up nearly $11,000. Just two weeks ago at UFC Fight Night, Marley advised SportsLine members to back underdog Jack Hermansson (+220) against rising prospect Joe Pyfer (-275) in the middleweight main event. Hermansson won a unanimous decision to give Marley's followers another easy winner. Anyone who has followed him has seen massive returns.
Now, with UFC Fight Night: O'Malley vs. Vera 2 on deck, Marley has studied the card from top to bottom and revealed his top UFC predictions. Those picks are available at SportsLine.
UFC 299: O'Malley vs. Vera 2 preview
O'Malley (17-1-1) is perhaps the most polarizing active champion in the UFC. His supporters are drawn to his knockout power (12 KOs in 17 career victories) and eclectic disposition, while his detractors point to a career trajectory that has seen the facial-tattooed combatant receive more than his share of breaks from the promotion.
O'Malley's critics point out that he received a title shot after just one win over a ranked opponent, a controversial split decision against former champion Petr Yan in October 2022. By comparison, welterweight contender Belal Muhammad currently has a 10-fight unbeaten streak dating five years that includes wins over five ranked opponents, but he has yet to receive a title shot.
Even so, O'Malley undeniably capitalized on his opportunity. Last August at UFC 292, O'Malley silenced some of his critics by scoring a second-round knockout over former champion Aljamain Sterling, who had defended the belt three times, to become a champion in his first UFC title fight.
His first order of business comes against the battle-tested Vera (23-8-1), who is looking to make a statement of his own. Vera was a sizable underdog when he and O'Malley met at UFC 252 in August 2020. The Ecuador-born fighter crippled O'Malley with a clean leg kick midway through the first round before following up with a barrage of punches to secure the stoppage victory.
In the aftermath, O'Malley refused to acknowledge the defeat while continually insisting he had maintained an unblemished record. He proceeded to work toward a title run while the battle-tested Vera, who has faced many of the division's biggest names, embarked on a run that has seen him win five of six to emerge as a title contender. He's out to prove his first win over O'Malley wasn't a fluke by delivering another dominant win over the flamboyant champion. See all of Marley's UFC 299 picks here.
UFC 299 predictions
We'll share one of Marley's UFC 299 selections here: He is siding with Kyler Phillips (-240) to get his hand raised against Pedro Munhoz (+200) in a bantamweight battle on the preliminary card.
Phillips (11-2) is a versatile fighter who has emerged as a potential title contender on the strength of five wins in his first six UFC appearances. The 28-year-old Californian notched a decision over veteran Raoni Barcelos last August.
Munhoz (20-8-2) is a 10-year UFC veteran known for his punching power and durability. The 37-year-old Brazilian has squared off with numerous ranked contenders but has just one victory in his past five outings.
"Phillips is going to be faster, with more striking tools and better wrestling," Marley told SportsLine. See who else to pick here.
How to make UFC 299 picks
Marley also has strong picks for O'Malley vs. Vera and every other bout on the UFC 299 fight card. He's also backing "one of the scariest fighters in the UFC" to emerge with a huge victory. Those picks are only available at SportsLine.
UFC 299 odds, fight card
See full UFC 299 picks, predictions and 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)Kyler Phillips (-240) vs. Pedro Munhoz (+200)Michal Oleksiejczuk (+120) vs. Michel Pereira (-140)
Robelis Despaigne (-330) vs. Josh Parisian (+240)
