UFC 292 best bets: Preview, odds, and predictions
Bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling is slated to make his fourth title defense at UFC 292, this time facing incumbent challenger Sean O’Malley.
UFC 292 features a dozen bouts, including a pair of world title fights. Not only is the bantamweight title on the line, but the women’s strawweight belt is also up for grabs as Zhang Weili looks to retain gold against Amanda Lemos.
Rising talents, divisional contenders, and promotional mainstays are scattered throughout the rest of the card. The UFC will make their return to Boston for the first time since 2019.
UFC 292 event details:
- Who: Aljamain Sterling vs. Sean O’Malley
- What: UFC 292
- Where: TD Garden, Boston, Massachusetts
- When: Saturday, August 19, 2023
Here, you will find our three favorites bets to make for UFC 292:
Bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling deserves to be a -258 favorite against Sean O’Malley. The champ has won nine straight bouts in the UFC, including a trio of title defenses. Sterling silenced the bulk of his haters with his split decision victory over Henry Cejudo in his last outing. He is undoubtedly one of the most undervalued champions in recent memory.
Enter ‘Suga’ Sean O’Malley, who has skyrocketed up the bantamweight ladder since entering the promotion in 2018. At +210 odds, O’Malley is too good to pass up here. The 28-year-old earned a narrow decision win over former interim champ Petr Yan in his most-recent bout.
Stylistically, this isn’t the most favorable matchup for O’Malley in all honesty. Sterling is an incredible grappler, who has one of the strongest bases in the division. O’Malley is a tall, lanky fighter in the division, which could spell trouble. Or, it could allow the challenger to keep the champ at his preferred distance, giving him the ability to unload his striking arsenal.
A $20 wager at +210 odds will yield a $62.00 payout.
Five of Zhang Weili’s nine UFC bouts have ended before the final bell. Meanwhile, seven of Amanda Lemos’s nine fights in the octagon have ended by way of stoppage. This leads us to believe there is a solid chance of this strawweight title fight to end via finish.
Combine that with our belief that the champ will retain gold led us to take Weili to win anyway other than decision. Weili reacquired her title by making quick work of Carla Esparza her last time out, which came after a spinning backfist knockout over Joanna Jedrzejczyk.
Lemos solidified herself as a title challenger by beating Marina Rodriguez, who had been on a tear, last November. The Brazilian contender always brings the fight to her opponent, which is another reason why we see this fight ending in the first couple of rounds.
A $20 wager at -150 odds will yield a $33.33 payout.
This two-leg parlay contains one underdog in Gerald Meerschaert (+195) and one favorite in Brad Tavares (-258).
Meerschaert is taking on up-and-comer Andre Petroski, who is 4-0 inside the octagon after entering the promotion through The Ultimate Fighter. Petroski is a fantastic wrestler, but his stand-up still needs improvement. We like the veteran Meerschaert to handle himself in the grappling department and to land more on the feet en route to victory.
Tavares is facing former middleweight champ Chris Weidman, who is making his return to action after breaking his leg back in April 2021. Prior to the devastating injury, Weidman had lost five of his past seven bouts, all by way of TKO/KO. If Tavares was facing Weidman in his prime we wouldn’t be backing him, but this version of Weidman is far from that.
A $20 wager will yield a $81.86 payout.
**All of the odds seen above were provided by DraftKings on Aug. 17**
DraftKings Sportsbook is offering its new Michigan customers the chance to bet $5 in order to receive $150 in bonus bets instantly.
This stellar welcome offer from DraftKings is claimed by taking the following steps:
- Clicking our exclusive link
- Click “Sign Me Up”
- Create a username/password and enter your personal details (e.g., name, birthdate, etc)
- Make a first-time deposit (min. $5)
- Place a real-money wager of $5 or more
Once your bet is placed, you will instantly receive $150 in bonus bets. These bonus bets will be awarded in the form of six (6) $25 bonus bets, which must be used in seven days after issuance.
Moreover, your bonus bet amount will not be included in any winnings that you may potentially receive.
Sidelines Group provides MLive with original sports betting, lottery, and casino content including odds, analysis, predictions, and reviews to educate bettors. Please bet responsibly.
If you have a gambling problem and are located in Michigan, call 1-800-GAMBLER or contact the 24-hour helpline chat at http://www.michapg.com/treatment/.
