O’Malley Seeks Revenge vs Vera at UFC 299
O’Malley vs Vera 2 Odds
Sean O’Malley defends his bantamweight title for the first time against Marlon Vera at UFC 299.
O’Malley vs Vera 2 odds have the champion favored to win at -240, as he hopes to enact his revenge on Vera, which ended in an injury in 2020.
The UFC 299 main event headlines in Miami, and it should be one of the better fights in 2024 so far.
Vera Poses a Threat
The 31-year-old has always been at the top of his game, and although untimely losses have threatened to derail his career, he always bounces back.
His win over O’Malley in 2020 came via a first-round TKO. A lot of water has gone under the bridge since, but it’s hard not to be impressed.
The fight was marred by the injury to O’Malley, who couldn’t stand up, but Marlon Vera did well to control the early action.
His form has been mixed since then, but he has beaten some quality UFC fighters. He defeated Frankie Edgar, Davey Grant, Dominick Cruz, Rob Font, and Pedro Munhoz.
That’s a long list of UFC greats, and the Ecuadorian has the experience needed to beat O’Malley, whose career has taken off since his lone loss.
He believes losing to Jose Aldo taught him the best lesson possible.
“I can feel his energy. He (Aldo) was like, ‘Oh, I’m going to lose again, man. I’m done,’ and I got so cocky and arrogant, and I made a childish mistake of just rushing around the cage and throwing a haymaker for no reason. I don’t even fight like that. That cost me the fight,” Vera reflects.
We don’t expect Vera to be reckless against O’Malley, and O’Malley vs Vera 2 odds are generous. He’s a +200 chance to go 2-0 against his rival, which isn’t a bad price for the underdog.
Sean O’Malley vs Marlon Vera
Sean O’Malley vs Marlon Vera 
Day/Time:
Location: Kaseya Center, Miami, FL
Sugar Sean Needs Focus
When taking -200 for O’Malley at UFC 299, the last thing you want to see is the 29-year-old looking ahead to other UFC schedule fights.
He wants to fight Ilia Topuria because he loves chasing a big pay day, but that fight won’t happen if he loses to Vera.
Never one to shy away from talking too much, O’Malley needs to remain focused for his upcoming fight. Otherwise, his next UFC event could be a rematch against Vera to win back his bantamweight belt.
It has been hard to fault the career of the Montana native. He’s 17-1, with the only loss coming to Vera in tough circumstances. O’Malley injured his leg and couldn’t put any weight on it, so he was essentially forced to cover up and give up.
There’s a big difference between winning and defending a belt for the first time. Pressure is now on O’Malley to repel all-comers, and Vera is a fighter who likes to make the most of his opportunities.
Bettors could have expected shorter UFC odds for the favorite. Getting -200 is a fair price for a fighter who attracts significant betting attention, but it means the sportsbook isn’t overlooking a potential upset.
Champion to Prevail
As much as we respect the ability of Vera, it’s hard to go past a virtually unbeaten O’Malley.
He might not always say the right things, but he’s a superstar, and we would have been prepared to take him at a shorter price with O’Malley vs Vera 2 odds.
His most recent fight came in August, so he has had plenty of time to prepare for Vera, and he also has a reach and height advantage.
That could play a big part in the result, and he’s already a tough fighter to hit based on his in-and-out style.
The five-round fight is expected to go the distance. Over 4.5 rounds is listed as a -160 favorite, so most of the money has come for O’Malley to win via decision.
We’re happy to include the over in our UFC picks as a part of a same-fight parlay with O’Malley winning.
For UFC betting news, odds analysis, and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.
