In the early betting lines for UFC 306, oddsmakers aren’t sweet on sugar. Reigning UFC world bantamweight champion Sean “Sugar” O’Malley is opening as the -103 underdog in his title defense against Georgian Merab Dvalishvili. It’s Dvalishvili who is currently situated as the -117 betting choice in the UFC 306 picks.
Of course, this is good news if you’re someone who’s planning to back the champion to retain his title. Getting a price on the champ is a rare occurrence in UFC betting. But you won’t want to wait to be getting that action down on O’Malley. He’s one of the most popular fighters in the promotion. There figures to be plenty of money bet on him before the fighters enter the cage. Don’t be surprised if this line swings the other way and O’Malley ends up as the UFC 306 betting choice by fight night.
This bout is one of two world title fights on the UFC 306 card and both are offering very close odds between the two fighters. In the co-main event, Alexa Grasso and Valentina Shevchenko will be completing a triology of bouts against one another, with Grasso’s women’s world flyweight title belt on the line. Grasso is the -117 chalk in this bout. You’ll get -103 odds if you back Shevchenko.
In this article, SBS will be going over each fighter, offering a predicted winner in both matchups, and also providing some additional notes and information regarding UFC 306 betting.
| UFC 306 Odds | The Pick |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sean O'Malley vs Merab Dvalishvili | O'Malley | -103 | -111 | -120 |
| Alexa Grasso vs Valentina Shevchenko | Grasso | -117 | -120 | -120 |
Fighter Spotlight: Sean O’Malley
In or outside of the ocatogon, unorthodox is an apt descriptive of how O’Malley (17-1-0, 1 NC) operates. He’s gaining a reputation as one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the promotion. If you don’t believe that to be true, just ask him. O’Malley will be happy to let you know that it is so.
It’s that inner confidence and powerful self belief that serves him so well inside the cage. O’Malley’s quirky movements in the octagon, along with his masterful use of trash talking, help to keep opponents off balance. And once he’s got them off kilter, then he can deliver the goods via a punishing striking ability. O’Malley’s footwork and defensive skills are also world class.
Fighter Spotlight: Merab Dvalishvili
At 33, Dvalishvili is four years O’Malley’s senior. Dvalishvili (16-4) is also coming into ths bout riding a 10-fight win streak. He’s an elite grappler and the Georgian uses his wrestling skills to take opponents to the ground and pound them into submission.
He needs an effective takedown game, because Dvalishvili isn’t in possession of knockout power. He’s only recorded three KOs during his career and just one since arriving in UFC.
Prediction: The 5-foot-11 O’Malley will make use of his significant reach advantage over the 5-foot-6 Dvalishvili to keep his Georgian opponent at bay. Unable to get in close to initiate his grappling edge, the Georgian will have no Plan B. O’Malley simply has more weapons in his bag of tricks and that will win the day for him.
Fighter Spotlight: Alexa Grasso
When Grasso submitted Shevchenko in their first meeting at UFC 285 to capture the women’s flyweight world title, it was considered one of the biggest upsets in the history of the promotion. Their second bout ended in a draw, as Shevchenko did a much better job at controlling Grasso on the mat.
At 31, Grasso (16-3-1) is five years younger than Shvechenko. She’s also a much better striker than her opponent, although Grasso really doesn’t have massive punching power.
Fighter Spotlight: Valentina Shevchenko
The veteran Kyrgyzstani fighter hadn’t lost a fight in nearly six years until she was submitted by Grasso. Now she’s gone two bouts in a row without a win for the first time in her career.
At 36, how much does Shevchenko have left in the tank? She hasn’t scored a knockout since 2001 and even in her last victory, she only won via split decision. Shevchenko enjoyed more success against Grasso in their second meeting, but still couldn’t manage to record the win.
Prediction: Shevchenko needs to recognize that Grasso can’t knock her out and take the punishment to battle inside and get in close enough for takedowns. Grasso will look to accumulate points by amassing strikes on her opponent. This one figures to go right down to the wire and probably goes the distance. Take the younger Grasso to do just enough to win over Shevchenko yet again.
Once you have determined which way you’ll be going with all of your UFC 306 bets, you’ll want to be sure to take a look at the incredible loads of information available to you only at SBS. For more insights into all of the bouts on the card covered here, make sure to check out the UFC betting sites guide. These guides assess all of the latest betting lines being set on the sport and can aid you in assembling some sound UFC 306 picks. As well, if you’re seeking out the best UFC 306 bets, be sure to have a gander at the best bonus betting sites breakdown, which accumulates an array of oustanding information, including a complete analysis of the various bonus offers available to you. Finally, for those who are busy and often on the go, the best betting apps rundown is a must-read page to make certain that you get all of your UFC 306 bets down in time.
About the Author
Theo is our NFL guy. He is the go-to man for all things football and has proven himself to be one of the most expansive writers here, with a broad knowledge of North American sports. He's a veteran journalist based in Ontario, and has covered the gambling and sports betting industry since 2016. He has written more than two dozen books and covered the NFL since the early 1990s.
Read Bob's ProfileAsk Bob about this guide: