Sean O’Malley won UFC gold last year and is ready to be the promotion’s golden boy. First, he must defend the UFC bantamweight title against rival Marlon Vera at UFC 299.
O’Malley turned pro in 2015 and earned a UFC contract after an appearance on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2017. He is 9-1 with one no-contest in the UFC, the lone loss against Vera. In October 2022, O’Malley faced his toughest opponent to date in Yan. He beat the Russian fighter via a controversial split decision win. In his last fight in August, O’Malley beat Aljamain Sterling via TKO to win the bantamweight belt.
Joining the UFC in 2014, Vera is 15-7 with the promotion and holds the record for the most finishes (10) in UFC bantamweight history. Losing against Jose Aldo in 2020, “Chito” was on a four-fight win streak before losing against Cory Sandhagen in March 2023. His last fight was a decision win over Pedro Munhoz in August.
The last time they fought, Vera won via TKO in round one. O’Malley has deliriously gone to say he’s undefeated, and the two have called one another out on social media since the first fight. They have had their success and failures and are ready to compete again for the ultimate bragging rights.
WATCH: UFC 299: Sean O’Malley vs. Marlon Vera 2, exclusively on ESPN+
“I’m honestly surprised that it’s happening in a sense,” O’Malley told Helen Yee via MMA Fighting. “I didn’t think that he would get to the title shot, and did he really deserve it after his performance over Pedro? I don’t know, but I thought, you know what? It’s time that I take him out. So, here we are, and it’s very exciting.”
The title fight headlines a stacked card that includes the likes of Dustin Poirier, Gilbert Burns, Petr Yan, Jailton Almeida, Maycee Barber and the debuting Michael “Venom” Page.
The Sporting News provides all you need to know about UFC 299, from time, channel, price, odds, card and more.
UFC 299 is on March 9. The early prelims start at 6 p.m. ET, with the prelims at 8 p.m. ET. The main card is at 10 p.m. ET. O’Malley and Vera should make their way to the octagon around 12:15 a.m. ET, depending on how long the undercard fights last.
UFC 299 is in the Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida. Home of the Heat, the arena can hold up to 19,600 people.
MORE: Ranked: The 25 best MMA fighters under the age of 25
In the U.S., the UFC 299 main card is available via pay-per-view on ESPN+, which also requires a subscription. The PPV price for UFC 299 is $79.99 for current subscribers. New subscribers can pay a bundle price of $134.98 for the UFC 299 pay-per-view and an ESPN+ annual subscription, which offers savings of more than 30 percent.
In the UK, the main card is on TNT Sports Box Office and will cost £19.99.
WATCH: UFC 299: Sean O’Malley vs. Marlon Vera 2, exclusively on ESPN+
Click here to learn about the different pricing and bundling options with the ESPN+ platform.
Per Bet MGM, Sean O’Malley is the -275 favorite, while Marlon Vera is the +220 underdog.
Main Card
Prelims
Early Prelims