UFC 299 LIVE: Sean O’Malley and Chito Vera title fight goes all five rounds
Sean O’Malley avenged the only defeat of his professional career on Saturday, outpointing Marlon Vera to retain his bantamweight title at UFC 299.
It was a masterclass by “Sugar Sean”, who outstruck “Chito” across five rounds to secure a unanimous-decision win (50-45, 50-45, 50-44). With the victory, O’Malley made his first title defence a successful one, having knocked out Aljamain Sterling to win the title in August. The American also took revenge upon Vera, who beat him via TKO in 2020.
The standout moment of the fight saw O’Malley drill a knee into his challenger’s face in round two – a shot that the Ecuadorian somehow survived. O’Malley then dropped Vera to a knee just before the buzzer signaled the end of the round.
Vera, 31, showed spirit to muster a decent spell of offence at the end of round three and early in round four, with O’Malley briefly retreating. However, the champion hurt Vera with a cross in the fifth and final round and saw out a clinical performance in the remaining minutes.
Re-live updates and results from the UFC 299 main card and prelims, below.
UFC 299 LIVE
Sean O’Malley retains bantamweight title against Marlon ‘Chito’ Vera
O’Malley avenges 2020 TKO loss by dominating Vera for five rounds
Co-main event: Dustin Poirier knocks Benoit Saint-Denis out cold
Michael ‘Venom’ Page outpoints Kevin Holland on UFC debut
Jack Della Maddalena fights back to stop Gilbert Burns
Former champ Petr Yan defeats Song Yadong to end losing streak
UFC 299 LIVE: Sean O’Malley vs Chito Vera
07:30 , Alex Pattle
UFC 299 LIVE: Sean O’Malley vs Chito Vera
07:10 , Alex Pattle
UFC 299 LIVE: Sean O’Malley vs Chito Vera
06:51 , Alex Pattle
UFC 299 LIVE: Sean O’Malley vs Chito Vera
06:39 , Alex Pattle
Here’s our full report from tonight’s main event:
Sean O’Malley retains title with masterclass against Chito Vera at UFC 299
UFC 299 LIVE: Sean O’Malley vs Chito Vera
06:27 , Alex Pattle
Vera’s face is soooo badly swollen. He thanks the Ecuadorian fans for travelling to watch him.
UFC 299 LIVE: Sean O’Malley vs Chito Vera
06:25 , Alex Pattle
Sean O’Malley def. Marlon Vera via unanimous decision 50-45, 50-45, 50-44
O’Malley says he felt something break in Vera’s face when he landed that knee.
Sean calls out featherweight champion Ilia Topuria, saying he’ll face the Georgian-Spaniard in Spain.
UFC 299 LIVE: Sean O’Malley vs Chito Vera
06:18 , Alex Pattle
Round five
Hard cross by O’Malley, who hurts Vera with that! O’Malley misses with a spinning back kick. He then backs off ever so slightly, remembering Wekch’s advice.
But Vera is retreating and covering up. O’Malley goes back to the body. Head kick now. Southpaw cross.
More clean crosses by Sean, who is southpaw at the moment. Spinning back kick to the body.
Head kick by Sugar. Front kick to the head by Vera, it’s narrowly wide. Good knee by the challenger, though. O’Malley responds in kind.
And we’ll go to the scorecards! O’Malley is on his knees, he might actually have been caught with a body shot before the buzzer.
UFC 299 LIVE: Sean O’Malley vs Chito Vera
06:16 , Alex Pattle
“Don’t try to knock him out,” O’Malley is told by his coach, Tim Welch.
Welch says O’Malley is up 4-0, and he’s probably right, although Vera was better in round four than in the previous frames.
UFC 299 LIVE: Sean O’Malley vs Chito Vera
06:12 , Alex Pattle
Round four
Into the championship rounds. Cross lands for Vera. Now a jumping knee! This is what he needs to do: let go, pressure Sean.
O’Malley with a cross. Good left hook by Vera! Another knee! One-two by O’Malley, then a head kick!
Two hard crosses by O’Malley, who switches stances between them. Vera backs him up, though. This is better from the Ecuadorian.
Nice trip by O’Malley. Vera pops back up. Sean’s nose is bloodied now, as is Vera’s.
Both men are landing to the head. O’Malley is staying as composed as possible, still varying his offence.
Lots of straight shots are landing for O’Malley.
UFC 299 LIVE: Sean O’Malley vs Chito Vera
06:05 , Alex Pattle
Round three
Vera needs this round to give himself a chance. Or he needs a stoppage, of course.
O’Malley is just beating Vera to the punch in every exchange. Decent left hand by Vera, and another.
O’Malley switches stances back and forth. Both men land body kicks. Vera chases O’Malley with a wild flurry upstairs.
Hard left hook to the body by O’Malley. Good left cross. Now a right hand. Another, to the body.
Sugar just looks leagues ahead of Vera. Anything can happen in this sport, though. Can Chito find the KO he needs?
Nice left cross for O’Malley. Two hooks to the body. Jumping knee by the champ.
Double-jab by Vera. Good right cross by the challenger! And a jab! He needs to just let go like this.
UFC 299 LIVE: Sean O’Malley vs Chito Vera
05:59 , Alex Pattle
Round two
Spinning back kick by O’Malley. It partially lands up top. Decent step-in knee for Vera. Front kick to the body by O’Malley.
The champion slings a right cross to the body of Vera. Lots of stance-switching by O’Malley, who blocks a head kick. Another right cross to the body by O’Malley, who adds a head kick.
Vera’s nose looks a little bloody. He kicks low. And again. O’Malley catches a body kick and throws another cross to the body. Now one to the head.
Decent left hook by Vera. O’Malley goes southpaw and opts for another body cross. OH! BRUTAL KNEE TO THE HEAD OF VERA! And another! Vera is retreating!
He just ate that first one! What?! Even so, O’Malley is feeling himself now. He tries another knee. Hard jab, right hook.
Cross, and another by O’Malley. Body kick. Lots of activity. Vera with a one-two! And a body kick of his own. Head kick by O’Malley.
OH! Sugar drops Vera to a knee on the buzzer!
Realllllly good round for the champ. A fun frame overall.
UFC 299 LIVE: Sean O’Malley vs Chito Vera
05:53 , Alex Pattle
Round one
No touch of gloves... There’s a “Chito” chant in the crowd. Both men stand orthodox.
O’Malley kicks low early. Vera goes southpaw. Front kick to the body of Vera, who has never been stopped before by the way.
O’Malley goes southpaw now, too. “USA” chant from the crowd. Spinning back kick to the body by O’Malley, then another hard kick under the arm of Vera.
Decent cross by O’Malley from an orthodox stance. He’s out of range as Vera tries a head kick. Low kick by O’Malley, then a tidy southpaw jab.
Another good left as O’Malley flits between stances. Hard low kick by Vera, then a left hand. Front kick to the body by O’Malley, who narrowly avoids a side kick upstairs.
Jab by O’Malley, who just misses with the follow-up cross. Hard cross to the body by O’Malley, and another. He’s orthodox for now. Superman punch by Vera. Body kick by O’Malley.
Another body cross by O’Malley, who narrowly misses with a straight upstairs on the buzzer.
UFC 299 LIVE: Sean O’Malley vs Chito Vera
05:45 , Alex Pattle
Now here comes Sugar Sean, to a mixed reaction. In a UFC first tonight, O’Malley will be fighting in pink shorts!
Bruce Buffer is bringing a lot of energy as he makes the introductions; he always does, but for some reason it seems like he’s going extra hard tonight.
Here we go!! Five rounds scheduled!
UFC 299 LIVE: Sean O’Malley vs Chito Vera
05:41 , Alex Pattle
A great reaction for Vera in Miami, as he makes his ring walk. Lots of Ecuadorian fans have travelled to support him tonight.
What he can’t afford to do tonight is wait too long to get started in the fight. That has cost him before, most recently against Cory Sandhagen in May.
However, Vera has also been en route to losing decisions before and then saved himself with spectacular knockouts. He famously did so against the legendary Frankie Edgar in 2021. A similar situation against former champ Dominick Cruz in 2022, too.
UFC 299 LIVE: Sean O’Malley vs Chito Vera
05:36 , Alex Pattle
Next up, it’s the main event! Sean O’Malley defends his bantamweight title against old foe Marlon “Chito” Vera.
Vera is the only man to have beaten O’Malley, having injured “Sugar Sean”’s leg to set up a TKO in 2020, but the latter is the favourite in tonight’s rematch.
Since their first meeting, O’Malley has become one of the UFC’s biggest stars, winning five straight fights – barring a No Contest against Pedro Munhoz in 2022 – and claiming the men’s bantamweight title in August.
The American, 29, knocked out Aljamain Sterling to win the belt, and now his first defence comes against Vera.
The Ecuadorian, 31, last fought on the undercard of O’Malley’s title win, beating Munhoz on points to bounce back from a loss to Cory Sandhagen.
UFC 299 LIVE: Dustin Poirier vs Benoit Saint-Denis
05:32 , Alex Pattle
Dustin Poirier def. Benoit Saint-Denis via second-round KO (punch, 2:32)
Poirier fought through adversity so well there.
Joe Rogan asks him about the guillotines. “I’ll never stop doing it!” Poirier laughs.
UFC 299 LIVE: Dustin Poirier vs Benoit Saint-Denis
05:26 , Alex Pattle
Round two
“No more guillotines,” Poirier is told by his coach, Mike Brown. Ha.
OH! Poirier drops his fellow southpaw with an uppercut! BSD falls to a knee! Aaaaaaaaand Poirier tries for a gullotine despite his coaches’ advice!
AGAIN BSD slips out, and he mounts Poirier! Now he takes the back and flattens out Poirier...
Somehow Poirier is able to scramble free and stand! Saint-Denis with a knee, uppercut and hook! Poirier fires back with his own shots!
OH! Poirier drops BSD then tries ANOTHER guillotine! It doesn’t work – surprise, surprise – but in the ensuing frenzy, Poirier KNOCKS SAINT-DENIS OUT COLDDDDDDDD!
Both the final two knockdowns came via lead right hooks! What a comeback by Poirier – in this fight and following his last one!
He’s talking to Donald Trump through the cage.
UFC 299 LIVE: Dustin Poirier vs Benoit Saint-Denis
05:20 , Alex Pattle
Round one
Poirier with a leg kick early. Saint-Denis shoots for a takedown, and Poirier defends with a guillotine choke...
It looks like it’s in tight, but BSD rolls out! Saint-Denis grabs Poirier as the American stands, taking the back.
Poirier has actually said before that he needs to stop jumping guard and trying guillotines, yet he did it immediately in this fight...
Poirier is able to shake BSD off his back, but the Frenchman lands a good knee to the body and a hook. He shoots for another takedown, and Poirier tries another guillotine – standing, this time. Again it fails. He lands a nice left hook, though.
Lots of pressure from BSD early, as expected. Hard elbows by the American, but Poirier fires back with a right cross.
Poirier goes back to his usual southpaw stance. Someone is cut – I *think* BSD. Saint-Denis backs Poirier up, and for the third time already, Poirier uses a guillotine to defend. For the third time tonight, it fails.
Saint-Denis is able to drag down Poirier and take the back. He’s working on a rear naked choke. He transitions to an armbar on the buzzer.
UFC 299 LIVE: Dustin Poirier vs Benoit Saint-Denis
05:11 , Alex Pattle
Saint-Denis, 28, is on a streak of five straight stoppage wins. The Frenchman is a former special services operative, and you can read more about that in the interview in the post below!
Poirier, 35, is looking to bounce back from a head-kick knockout loss to Justin Gaethje from last July.
The American has a big advantage in terms of experience here, but some fans fear for him after that KO defeat last time out... In fact, Poirier is a betting underdog tonight.
This is a huge opportunity for BSD; he is ranked 12th at lightweight, while Poirier is 3rd.
Here we go!
UFC 299 LIVE: Dustin Poirier vs Benoit Saint-Denis
05:03 , Alex Pattle
Next up, it’s the co-main event!
Former interim lightweight champion Dustin Poirier faces rising French star Benoit Saint-Denis, with five rounds scheduled here.
Read our exclusive pre-fight interview with BSD:
How Benoit Saint-Denis went from fighting terrorists to fighting in the UFC
UFC 299 LIVE: Joanna Jedrzejczyk enters Hall of Fame
05:00 , Alex Pattle
Former strawweight champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk is inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame!
UFC 299 LIVE: Kevin Holland vs Michael ‘Venom’ Page
04:57 , Alex Pattle
Michael ‘Venom’ Page def. Kevin Holland via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Page gets the decision win on his UFC debut! He’s straight into the rankings, too. Impressive stuff.
MVP: “I do think the UFC got to me a bit, that brand. But they got me here in great condition, I’m the best I’ve ever felt. Kevin’s just a tough guy.
“I’ve got a little more work to do – a lot more work to do – but this is where I’m supposed to be. Anybody that doubted that I’m supposed to be here, now you can see.”
He shouts out the Miami crowd.
UFC 299 LIVE: Kevin Holland vs Michael ‘Venom’ Page
04:51 , Alex Pattle
Round three
Final round! We could be looking at one round apiece. Holland again gets Page to the fence and is able to drag him down.
Holland has a history of not using his grappling enough, and getting embroiled in striking exchanges, but he’s been wise in wrestling tonight. Again Page defends well, however, and stands and moves into space.
Heavy right cross by Page! Holland drops to the mat and pulls guard, and Page dances to mock him! Holland stands. Again he eats a back elbow. He’s cut... Hard body kick by Page and another right hand.
Great spell for Page here. He is on track to take this fight. The welterweights briefly grapple against the fence. Back in the open, Page lands a good left straight.
Clean cross by Page now! Holland taunts Page, mocking his dancing and stance, but that’s purely out of frustration. Page responds with yet another big right hand.
A solid showing from MVP on his UFC debut.
UFC 299 LIVE: Kevin Holland vs Michael ‘Venom’ Page
04:45 , Alex Pattle
Round two
“He’s faster than we thought,” Holland tells his team between rounds. The American lands a good right hand to close range early in round two, though.
He holds Page against the fence, but not for long. Holland soon reinitiates a grappling exchange, however, and eventually manages to drag Page to the mat!
Holland is on top, in half-guard, looking to advance the position but also throwing some elbows. Brilliant work from Page to eventually stand!!
Body kick by Holland, then a high kick. Another back elbow by Page, and again it’s in the final 10 seconds of a round!
UFC 299 LIVE: Kevin Holland vs Michael ‘Venom’ Page
04:39 , Alex Pattle
Round one
Lots of bouncing from both men early on. Each stands orthodox. A bit of dancing from Page.
Lots of feints from Page, who steps back to evade a one-two. Holland clinches him against the fence.
We get the first “USA” chant of the fight, inevitably! Good control from Holland, until Page reverses the position and hurls the American away from him!
Now it’s Page who surprisingly initiates a grappling exchange! He rolls under a punch and grabs the back. Holland gets free but then eats a body kick and a quickfire jab.
Page loves sneaking in follow-up shots like that at awkward times. Cross lands for him, then he overshoots one and falls. He stands, and we have another clinch.
An “MVP” chant now! He’s content to get some control time at the moment. Eventually the fighters separate, and Page lands another big right hand. Holland tries a trip but settles for driving MVP back to the fence.
A good first round for Page, who lands a great back elbow in the final 10 seconds!
UFC 299 LIVE: Kevin Holland vs Michael ‘Venom’ Page
04:30 , Alex Pattle
Page emerges to a remix of The Undertaker’s WWE theme! He looks fired up as he dances his way to the UFC Octagon for the first time.
Now here comes Holland, also looking locked in.
Donald Trump shows up on the big screen...
And we’re under way!
UFC 299 LIVE: Kevin Holland vs Michael ‘Venom’ Page
04:21 , Alex Pattle
Another fun welterweight bout next.
Bellator standout Michael “Venom” Page makes his long-awaited UFC debut. The Londoner, 36, takes on a fan favourite in American Kevin Holland, 31.
Read our pre-fight interview with Page here:
MVP on UFC debut versus ‘cockroach’ Kevin Holland and sparring with Leon Edwards
UFC 299 LIVE: Gilbert Burns vs Jack Della Maddalena
04:16 , Alex Pattle
Jack Della Maddalena def. Gilbert Burns via third-round KO (jumping knee and elbows, 3:43)
JDM: “My plan was to come here, grab the cash, and dash.”
He calls out the unbeaten Shavkat Rakhmonov. Not many people do that!
UFC 299 LIVE: Gilbert Burns vs Jack Della Maddalena
04:12 , Alex Pattle
Round three
Both rounds could have gone either way. The scorecards may end up all over the place.
Good counter right hook by JDM after blocking a head kick! Burns shoots for a takedown to change the momentum of this round.
Decent defence by Maddalena so far... Eventually he’s taken down against the fence, and Burns is racking up control time.
JDM rolls well and stands... OH! And lands a jumping knee immediately!!
He drops Burns and then seals the TKO with elbows! WHAT? OUT OF NOWHERE!
UFC 299 LIVE: Gilbert Burns vs Jack Della Maddalena
04:06 , Alex Pattle
Round two
Tough to score that first round. JDM maybe scored a bit more damage, but Burns had his moments and also got some control time.
Counter cross by Burns, now a body kick. He snatches a single-leg takedown! JDM does well to stand against the fence. He moves into the open.
Lovely elbow by Burns! He timed it as Maddalena threw an uppercut. Body hook by Maddalena. He misses with an up-elbow.
Nice spell from the Aussie now, though, as his striking advantage shows. OH! Until Burns lands a bigggg overhand right!
Now the Brazilian shoots for a takedown, which he just about secures! JDM tries a triangle choke in defence, but he gives up the back!
Another very close round. Almost the same pattern as the first one.
UFC 299 LIVE: Gilbert Burns vs Jack Della Maddalena
03:59 , Alex Pattle
Round one
Maddalena stands orthodox. Burns switches stances early and throws a body kick then a leg kick. “Gilbert” is the chant from the crowd. The Brazilian trains near Miami.
He gets a single-leg takedown and already has the back... Maddalena tries to roll away but fails.
Maddalena stands but is dragged back down. He stands again, and this time Burns pushes him to the fence. Maddalena with a good counter trip and a knee!
He times it just as Burns stands, so it’s a legal shot. Maddalena goes southpaw now. Burns steps in with a couple of winging shots; he’s leaving himself quite exposed when he does so.
Good counter left hook by Maddalena. Burns misses with a high kick. Nice body hook by Maddalena. Two good counter lefts by the Aussie.
Burns with a nice left hook now, then a low kick. Great takedown by Burns late in the round! Two big right hands, too!
UFC 299 LIVE: Gilbert Burns vs Jack Della Maddalena
03:46 , Alex Pattle
Next up, a welterweight clash between ex-title challenger Gilbert Burns and rising contender Jack Della Maddalena!
Australia’s Della Maddalena is a striking specialist on a 16-fight win streak (6-0 in the UFC). Brazilian Burns is a jiu-jitsu world champion with heavy hands.
Burns, 37, is fourth in the 170lbs rankings; Della Maddalena, 27, is 11th. The Aussie could leap up the rankings with a win here.
This could be a fun one. Let’s go.
UFC 299 LIVE: Petr Yan vs Song Yadong
03:41 , Alex Pattle
Petr Yan def. Song Yadong via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Lots of respect between the bantamweights. A much-needed win for Yan!
UFC 299 LIVE: Petr Yan vs Song Yadong
03:37 , Alex Pattle
Round three
Final round. Beautiful spinning back kick to the head by Song! Yan returns fire with one to the body, then one to the head! Song with one to the body! This is fun.
Song with a couple of tidy hooks at close range. He snatches another single-leg, but Yan writhes free. Good takedown defence from Song now, but Yan tags him with a couple of short punches in close.
Good jabs by each man. Another single-leg by Song, but again Yan escapes. Overhand right by Song has Yan teetering away. Yan misses with a spinning back fist. More jabs by Song. Yan with one of his own.
Song is walking him down. He might steal this round on activity. The pair clinch against the fence. Yan just about completes a takedown. One minute left, will that prove decisive?
Good elbows by Yan! Song with some of his own from the bottom. Another by Yan, who finishes the fight by trying a D’Arce choke on the buzzer.
Yan might have just taken that one... It was close, though.
UFC 299 LIVE: Petr Yan vs Song Yadong
03:30 , Alex Pattle
Round two
Yan’s coaches are honest with him: “It wasn’t a good round.” In Song’s corner is retired UFC veteran Urijah Faber, who once suffered a brutal KO by Yan.
Song closes range and has Yan against the fence. A few punches by Song, then a hard elbow! Yan is able to circle away.
Yan steps in on a lead uppercut, then overshoots with a cross. Decent counter uppercut by Yan, as Song feints for a takedown.
A couple of overhands land for Song. He’s able to get a body lock and take the back again, driving Yan to the fence.
There’s a brief pause in the action, as Yan needs to have some loose tape cut off his glove. We’re back under way, and Yan shrugs off a takedown attempt before trying a guillotine choke. No joy.
Song snatches a single-leg takedown, but Yan is able to stand at once; good defence by the Russian, who is having a better round here. “Let’s go, Petr,” chants the Miami crowd.
Solid uppercut by Song, then a hook! Yan doesn’t like that at all, but he times a takedown perfectly! Slicing elbow from the Russian from on top.
UFC 299 LIVE: Petr Yan vs Song Yadong
03:24 , Alex Pattle
Round one
Both men stand orthodox. Leg kick for Song straight away, then a quick lead hook.
Yan with a decent overhand right on the 26-year-old, who fires back with another left hook. Yan slips a right hand and jabs to the body. And again. Song feints for a takedown and throws a hook.
Both men land in a scrappy exchange. Good jab by Song. Yan kicks low, and Song times a hook over the top. Spinning back kick to the body by Song.
Body kick by Yan. Again Song throws a punch over the top of the kick. Yan misses with a right hook.
Song catches a kick and takes down Yan. He has the back, but Yan is defending well... Yan tries to roll away, but Song hangs on.
Good punches by Song, before Yan stands and separates. Decent left hook by Song, who’s had a great round.
UFC 299 LIVE: Petr Yan vs Song Yadong
03:12 , Alex Pattle
The main card begins with a bantamweight clash between ex-champion Petr Yan and Song Yadong.
Fans expected Yan to be a dominant champion after he won the vacant title in 2020, but the Russian lost the belt in his first defence – by DQ, no less.
And Yan is now on a three-fight losing streak, having suffered close decision losses to Aljamain Sterling and Sean O’Malley before being dominated by Merab Dvalishvili.
Here we go!
UFC 299 LIVE: Prelim results
03:08 , Alex Pattle
Curtis Blaydes def. Jailton Almeida via second-round TKO (0:36)
Maycee Barber def. Katlyn Cerminara via unanimous decision (30-27 x2, 29-28)
Mateusz Gamrot def. Rafael dos Anjos via unanimous decision (29-28 x2, 30-27)
Kyler Phillips def. Pedro Munhoz via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
Philipe Lins def. Ion Cutelaba via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)
Michel Pereira def. Michal Oleksiejczuk via first-round submission (rear naked choke, 1:01)
Robelis Despaigne def. Josh Parisian via first-round KO (0:18) | Watch finish
Assu Almabayev def. CJ Vergara via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
Joanne Wood def. Maryna Moroz via split decision (29-28 x2, 28-29)
UFC 299 LIVE: Main card under way
03:00 , Alex Pattle
The main card is upon us! Now, here are the prelim results...
UFC 299 LIVE: Main card imminent
02:56 , Alex Pattle
The UFC 299 main card is moments away! We’ll have a round-up of all the prelim results for you in a few moments...
Here’s what we have to look forward to next, in reverse order:
Sean O’Malley (C) vs Marlon “Chito” Vera 2 (bantamweight title)
Dustin Poirier vs Benoit Saint-Denis (lightweight – five rounds)
Kevin Holland vs Michael “Venom” Page (welterweight)
Gilbert Burns vs Jack Della Maddalena (welterweight)
Petr Yan vs Song Yadong (bantamweight)
UFC 299 LIVE: Is Sean O’Malley a pound-for-pound top-10 fighter?
02:50 , Alex Pattle
Full transparency: Sean O’Malley does not feature on our pound-for-pound top-10 list.
That is largely down to his resume, which does not compare to those of the fighters in our rankings, although his KO of Sterling was a tremendous result.
In his last fight before winning the belt, the American beat ex-champ Petr Yan via decision, but it was a highly controversial result – one that Indy Sport did not agree with.
However, O’Malley could enter our top 10 with an impressive knockout tonight. Let’s see...
The Independent’s pound-for-pound UFC rankings
UFC 299 LIVE: Sean O’Malley makes first title defence after KO of Sterling
02:41 , Alex Pattle
As the main card approaches, why not check out our report from the night Sean O’Malley won the UFC men’s bantamweight title?
“Sugar Sean” stopped Aljamain Sterling in round two in August to dethrone the Jamaican-American.
Sean O’Malley becomes newest UFC superstar with dazzling KO of Aljamain Sterling
UFC 299 LIVE: Card follows huge Joshua vs Ngannou fight night
02:28 , Alex Pattle
In other MMA-related news, ex-UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou endured a brutal night against Anthony Joshua yesterday.
“AJ” dropped the Cameroonian, who was boxing for just the second time, three times in two rounds. The final knockdown in Saudi Arabia signaled the end for Ngannou, who was out cold on the canvas.
Here’s our report from that bout, which should do nothing to affect Ngannou’s incredible MMA legacy:
Anthony Joshua knocks Francis Ngannou out cold with ruthless performance
UFC 299 LIVE: Sean O’Malley’s coach predicts ‘viral knockout’ of Marlon Vera
02:13 , Alex Pattle
More from O’Malley’s coach, Tim Welch:
“I don’t think [Vera has improved] a ton. I don’t think his confidence is going to be high, and the way he showed up against Cory Sandhagen, he got smoked. He barely got past a little, short – no diss, but – Pedro Munhoz, who’s not very fast and big, he’s a little bit older.
“So, I don’t think his confidence is super high, but Chito’s dangerous. He is really, really good at getting beat up and then winning, which is a dangerous thing. He’s very durable, he trains hard, he’s got a good coach, and he’s dangerous.
“Last time we fought him, we [underestimated] him. We thought he was just slow and clunky, and then that happened, so we’re not underestimating him this time.”
Sean O’Malley coach predicts ‘viral knockout’ in UFC 299 main event
UFC 299 LIVE: Sean O’Malley’s coach predicts ‘viral knockout’ of Marlon Vera
02:00 , Alex Pattle
Sean O’Malley’s coach has predicted a “viral knockout” for his fighter in the tonight’s main event, when “Sugar Sean” faces Marlon Vera.
O’Malley, who won the UFC men’s bantamweight title in August, will make his first defence of the belt tonight, taking on the only man to have beaten him: “Chito” Vera.
In the pair’s first fight, in 2020, Vera battered O’Malley’s legs, ultimately causing an injury before sealing a TKO of the American. Yet O’Malley is the favourite ahead of their rematch next month – a verdict that Tim Welch agrees with.
“I believe it’s going to be a viral knockout,” Welch said on The MMA Hour in February. “But like I said, I’m preparing Sean for a five-round war. I’m bringing the toughest people I could find in to spar him, going tons of rounds, trying to break him, trying to break his legs, kicking his legs.
“We’re preparing him for a five-round war, because Chito is really good at taking shots, he’s very durable. So, we’re preparing him for five rounds, but I do believe in my heart that [Vera is probably going to be] face-planted at the end of the fight.”
Sean O’Malley coach predicts ‘viral knockout’ in UFC 299 main event
UFC 299 LIVE: Michael ‘Venom’ Page interview
01:40 , Alex Pattle
More from our interview with Michael “Venom” Page:
“[Kevin Holland is] a competent fighter, he’s a tough guy, he’s a cockroach; you can’t kill him, but I’m gonna try. I’m gonna try really hard! He’s an entertaining fighter, I’m an entertaining fighter. Us together, I think that’s a match made in heaven.”
One criticism of Page’s career has been a perceived lack of top-level competition during his spell in Bellator, and the Londoner has admitted that his “ego” wants to prove his doubters wrong.
“I’ve been doing it behind closed doors, I’ve sparred with so many different people – names that I haven’t even mentioned before,” Page said. “I’ve sparred Leon, [UFC light-heavyweight] Johnny Walker, and I don’t believe any one of them would ever say anything negative about the spar. That just shows the level I’m at, but yeah, it’ll be nice to prove it, just because I’m a bit petty... I’m a lot petty.”
Full interview:
MVP on UFC debut versus ‘cockroach’ Kevin Holland and sparring with Leon Edwards
UFC 299 LIVE: Michael ‘Venom’ Page interview
01:20 , Alex Pattle
And here is an excerpt from our interview with Michael “Venom” Page! The London fighter, a standout in Bellator, makes his long-awaited UFC debut against Kevin Holland tonight. Expect fireworks in that bout...
“It’s weird, it’s still a little bit surreal. There’s moments where I kind of forget I’m here, then something will happen and I’m like, ‘Oh, I’m in the UFC!’ I don’t think I sign off as a UFC athlete until I’ve stepped in that cage, fought and come out.
“One thing that helped was the bare knuckle fight [with UFC alumnus Mike Perry in 2022]. Once that fight was announced, Hunter [Campbell, UFC CBO] reached out to Audie [Attar, Page’s manager], like: ‘Does that mean he’s a free agent?’ Audi was like, ‘Oh, no, not yet,’ and explained, but that action meant: ‘Oh, these guys are interested.’
“I had one more [Bellator] fight, then there’s a certain term when you can’t negotiate. I had to wait that term out, but I was going around, flirting; you’d see me at different shows and stuff. Then the conversations were allowed to commence.”
Full interview:
MVP on UFC debut versus ‘cockroach’ Kevin Holland and sparring with Leon Edwards
UFC 299 LIVE: Benoit Saint-Denis – exclusive interview
01:02 , Alex Pattle
More from our exclusive interview with Benoit Saint-Denis:
In 2022, the UFC visited France for the first time, with Saint-Denis becoming the first home fighter to ever compete on a UFC card in the nation. He secured a vicious victory over Gabriel Miranda in a raucous arena and recalls: “There was an amazing communion with the crowd. I made a lot of sacrifices to be on that card. I had a foot injury and it was the worst training camp I ever had, but all the pain and suffering paid off in Paris.”
Another sacrifice surrounded the timing of the event. “I had my wedding one week before,” Saint-Denis explains, adding: “Laura and I met at a point in our lives when we were both taking different directions. She went from being in the French futsal team and winning the European Champions Cup with Toulouse to being a dog keeper then a shooting instructor in the police force.”
Full interview:
How Benoit Saint-Denis went from fighting terrorists to fighting in the UFC
UFC 299 LIVE: Benoit Saint-Denis – exclusive interview
00:41 , Alex Pattle
Speaking of Benoit Saint-Denis... Here is an excerpt from our exclusive interview with the Frenchman:
If ever there has been an earned nickname in MMA, it is that of Benoit Saint-Denis. Some fans deem the Frenchman worthy of his “God of War” moniker purely due to his belligerent violence in the cage, but the UFC lightweight’s time fighting terrorists in the special forces is the clincher.
“I was in the French special air service,” Saint-Denis tells The Independent, his gentle drawl tinged with a French fizz as he speaks from his home in Bayonne. “It comes from you guys in Great Britain in the Second World War, it got created to destroy German aircraft in north Africa, and the special forces went on from there. In the UK it still exists as the SAS [Special Air Service]. I was part of a unit in France, and I was mostly in Africa – Mali, Burkina Faso – fighting against terrorist groups like Boko Haram. So, it was mostly counter-terrorism.”
Saint-Denis, the son of a military father, recounts the experience as matter-of-factly as if this was a normal career. It was not. Nor is his current one.
Full interview:
How Benoit Saint-Denis went from fighting terrorists to fighting in the UFC
UFC 299: Our pick for fight of the night
00:23 , Alex Pattle
This is a stacked card, and so many bouts would be valid picks for fight of the night...
Ours, though, is the co-main event: five rounds scheduled between former interim lightweight champion Dustin Poirier and rising French star Benoit Saint-Denis.
UFC 299 LIVE: Fight odds
00:05 , Alex Pattle
O’Malley – 2/5; Vera – 2/1
Poirier – 7/4; Saint-Denis – 4/9
Holland – 4/5; Page – 20/21
Via Betway. Get all the latest UFC betting sites’ offers.
UFC 299 LIVE: Fight card in full
Saturday 9 March 2024 23:50 , Alex Pattle
Here is tonight’s card in full. As mentioned below, the early prelims are under way as we speak, and we’ll give you a full prelim round-up at the end of the regular prelims!
Main card
Sean O’Malley (C) vs Marlon “Chito” Vera 2 (bantamweight title)
Dustin Poirier vs Benoit Saint-Denis (lightweight – five rounds)
Kevin Holland vs Michael “Venom” Page (welterweight)
Gilbert Burns vs Jack Della Maddalena (welterweight)
Petr Yan vs Song Yadong (bantamweight)
Prelims
Curtis Blaydes vs Jailton Almeida (heavyweight)
Katlyn Chookagian vs Maycee Barber (women’s flyweight)
Mateusz Gamrot vs Rafael dos Anjos (lightweight)
Pedro Munhoz vs Kyler Phillips (bantamweight)
Early prelims
Ion Cutelaba vs Philipe Lins (light-heavyweight)
Michel Pereira vs Michal Oleksijczuk (middleweight)
Robelis Despaigne vs Josh Parisian (heavyweight)
CJ Vergara vs Assu Almabayev (flyweight)
Joanne Wood vs Maryna Moroz (women’s flyweight)
UFC 299 card in full as Sean O’Malley defends title versus Chito Vera tonight
UFC 299 LIVE: How to watch online and on TV
Saturday 9 March 2024 23:32 , Alex Pattle
The card will air live on TNT Sports in the UK, with the broadcaster’s app and website also streaming the fights. Discovery+ will also air the action in the UK. In the US, ESPN+ will stream the event live, as will the UFC’s Fight Pass.
If you’re travelling abroad and want to watch the event, you might need a VPN to unblock your streaming app. Our VPN round-up is here to help and includes deals on VPNs in the market. Viewers using a VPN need to make sure that they comply with any local regulations where they are and also with the terms of their service provider.
How to watch UFC 299 online and on TV tonight
UFC 299 LIVE: Start time in UK and US
Saturday 9 March 2024 23:15 , Alex Pattle
UFC 299 is taking place at the Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida. The early prelims are now under way, with the regular prelims following at 1am GMT on Sunday (5pm PT, 7pm CT, 8pm ET on Saturday). The main card is then scheduled for 3am GMT on Sunday (7pm PT, 9pm CT, 10pm ET on Saturday).
We’ll provide live fight updates when the main card starts! Until then, we’ll keep you covered with build-up, and we’ll give you a round-up of the prelim results when the main card begins.
What time does UFC 299 start tonight?
UFC 299 LIVE
Saturday 9 March 2024 23:02 , Alex Pattle
In the main event of UFC 299 tonight, Sean O’Malley will defend his bantamweight title against old foe Marlon Vera.
“Chito” Vera is the only man to have beaten O’Malley, having injured “Sugar Sean”’s leg to set up a TKO in 2020, but the latter is the favourite in tonight’s rematch.
Since their first meeting, O’Malley has become one of the UFC’s biggest stars, winning five straight fights – barring a No Contest against Pedro Munhoz in 2022 – and claiming the men’s bantamweight title in August.
The American, 29, knocked out Aljamain Sterling to win the belt, and now his first defence comes against Vera. The Ecuadorian, 31, last fought on the undercard of O’Malley’s title win, beating Munhoz on points to bounce back from a loss to Cory Sandhagen.
In tonight’s co-main event, former interim lightweight champion Dustin Poirier faces rising contender Benoit Saint-Denis in a five-round bout.
