In what should be a great event, UFC 299 returns to the Sunshine State for a fantastic card. This will be the promotion’s third visit to Miami overall and the first time since UFC 287 in April 2023. At the top of the card is a fight for the UFC Bantamweight Championship between current champion Sean O’Malley and Marlon Vera. As fight fans are aware, this will be a rematch between the two after the latter won their first bout via first-round TKO in August 2020. The other big fight of the night will be a lightweight division showdown between former interim UFC Lightweight Champion Dustin Poirier and Benoit Saint Denis. Both are aiming to move up the ranks and challenge for the Lightweight Championship following a victory at UFC 299.
For this article, SBS will be going over the strengths and weaknesses of each fighter, a predicted winner in each bout, and cover some additional notes as it relates to UFC 299 betting.
| UFC 299 Main Event Bouts | The Pick |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marlon Vera vs. Sean O'Malley (c) | O'Malley | -240 | -240 | -240 |
| Dustin Poirier vs. Benoît Saint Denis | Saint-Denis | -193 | -193 | -193 |
Fighter Spotlight: Sean O’Malley
The current UFC Bantamweight Champion, O’Malley is also recognized as a top-ten fighter in the UFC men’s pound-for-pound rankings. With a record of 17-1, the American hailing from Montana has won 12 fights by way of knockout and also another contest with a submission win. His last two fights in particular have been sensational. At UFC 280, he took on the stellar Petr Yan and was able to score a split-decision victory in what turned out to be the Fight of the Night in Abu Dhabi. Then, at UFC 292, he notched a fantastic TKO win over Aljamain Sterling. This bout ended in the second round and was later credited as the UFC Performance of the Year for 2023.
Fighter Spotlight: Marlon Vera
In their last matchup, Vera was able to defeat O’Malley with a flurry of strikes after dropping his opponent with a calf kick. Since then he has accrued a record of 5-2 with wins over the likes of Frankie Edgar, Dominick Cruz, and, most recently, Pedro Munhoz. In fact, during his four-fight winning streak, he accrued four straight Fight of the Night/Performance of the Night outings. However, a title fight has eluded him despite coming very close even with losses against the likes of Jose Aldo and Cory Sandhagen. During the course of his career, he has put together a record of 23-8 with an impressive 10 submission wins along with eight knockout victories.
Prediction: In what should be a back-and-forth affair, take O’Malley here to avenge his earlier loss to Vera and retain the UFC Bantamweight Championship.
Fighter Spotlight: Dustin Poirier
An athlete who has fought some of the best in the UFC (six major PPV fights), Poirier is aiming for a rebound performance after losing to Justin Gaethje at UFC 291 for the “BMF” title. With a career mark of 29-8, he has notched a fantastic 14 knockout victories. This includes two TKO wins over Conor McGregor along with a win against Gaethje in 2018. However, he has hit some speed bumps in his last couple of fights, losing two of his last three matchups, including a rematch against Gaethje last year. Of course, this could be his big rebound fight since he has never lost back-to-back fights in his career.
Fighter Spotlight: Benoit Saint Denis
Known as the “God of War,” Saint Denis is a rising star in the promotion after being a member of the French Army Special Forces Command. With a black belt in judo, the French fighter has a career record of 13-1 with a fantastic nine submission wins. After a controversial loss to Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos at UFC 267 (his UFC debut), he has been on a tear, winning five fights in a row. In his last outing, he scored a knockout head kick in the first round against Matt Frevola. This fight was later recognized as the Performance of the Night at UFC 295.
Prediction: Another great contest, take Saint Denis to win here over Poirier thanks to his more consistent track record as of late.
After you are all dialed in regarding the latest news and notes coming from the world of the UFC, make sure to check out the wide array of info for you at SBS to help put together the best UFC 299 bets. Of course, for all of your UFC 299 picks and beyond, make sure to check out our UFC betting sites rundown which goes over the latest betting markets in the sports and also the top UFC 299 bets. Moreover, if you are interested in bulking up your UFC 299 betting experience, make sure to peruse the best bonus betting guide which goes over a catalog of the latest bonus offers and also tips for getting the most out of promotions. Finally, for those on the go, our best betting apps breakdown is a must-read page for mobile betting where you can always stay on top of the action.
About the Author
As a devout aficionado of sports, Chris Boline has carved a career within the athletic realm. A skilled scribe, he boasts a decade-long portfolio that encompasses coverage of the NBA G League, the Los Angeles Chargers, football and basketball across the country. Beyond his professional pursuits, Chris is deeply invested in his community and dedicates his leisure hours to serving on boards, collaborating with community organizations, and cherishing the company of loved ones. CURRENTLY Business Development and freelance sports writing RESIDES IN Reno, NV EDUCATION University of Nevada BS and MBA EXPERTISE -Sports writing proficiency in: NFL, NBA, UFC, boxing, golf, and some motor sports -Topical news -Promotional and marketing ideas/updates -Business development Summary Chris Boline serves in a business development sales capacity as his day job. He has previously held sales/marketing positions with The Applied Companies (TAC), KTVN 2 News and the NBA G League’s Reno Bighorns, affiliate of the Sacramento Kings. He is a Reno native and is a member of various community boards including the Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, NCET and the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA). Chris graduated from the University of Nevada in 2015 with a bachelors in management and economics and also earned his MBA from Nevada in 2023. More about Chris: Past president of the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA) 2022-23 Two-time honoree for University of Nevada Alumni Chapter of the Year (Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, 2017 & COBAA, 2021) 2021 NCET award for Professional Services Organization of the Year with TAC Northern Nevada Human Resources Association 2020 Best Places to Work-Northern Nevada, Second Place with TAC 2016-17 Reno Bighorns MVP from the Sacramento Kings The Nevada Sagebrush editor-in-chief 2013-15 Associated Collegiate Press 2015 Four-year Non-daily Newspaper Pacemaker honoree University of Nevada, Reno College of Business Dean's List honoree (5x) from 2011-2015 Nevada Press Association award for Best Sports Column – Community in 2015 Education
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