The UFC is back in Boston tonight, Saturday, Aug. 18, for UFC 292, and the promotion is bringing the fans two title fights. Aljamain Sterling looks to defend his Bantamweight belt against fan favorite Sean O’Malley to headline the card at TD Center, and in the co-main slot, Strawweight Champion Zhang Weili defends against Amanda Lemos.
As we look at UFC 292 odds, props, and predictions, we see Sterling priced as a sizable favorite on betting boards.
UFC 292 Main Event Odds
Sportsbooks are dealing the champ as the favorite, with Sterling priced at -250 at BetMGM and Caesars. O’Malley is the underdog, offered at +215 at DraftKings. Here are UFC 292 odds from top sports betting apps.
UFC · Sat (8/19) @ 10:00 pm ET
| Aljamain Sterling | at | Sean O’Malley |
| TD Garden, Boston, MA | ||
BetMGM Sportsbook: Claim $1,000 First Bet Offer with Bonus Code 'TODAY'
UFC 292 Betting Preview: Sterling vs. O’Malley
Sterling Fighting With Chip on His Shoulder
Undisputed Bantamweight Champion Aljamain Sterling (23-3 MMA, 15-3 UFC) deserves respect.
The UFC and many fans want Sean O’Malley to become the champion. But Sterling has been grinding since he got to the UFC in 2014. The man hasn’t lost a fight since April 2018.
He is on a nine-fight win streak that includes Henry Cejudo, Petr Yan, Cory Sandhagen, TJ Dillashaw, Pedro Munhoz, Jimmie Rivera, and Brett Johns.
He is probably the best grappler in the division, proving that by out-wrestling the former champ-champ and Olympic wrestler Cejudo.
There has always been a little bit of reluctance to accept Sterling as champion by the greater MMA community, due to him initially receiving his belt due to disqualification from an illegal knee from Yan in their first bout. But since then, he’s shown up and won fights. You can’t knock the guy for that.
At this point, he is undoubtedly the undisputed bantamweight champ. He’s probably one of the most skilled champs as well, outside of Jon Jones and Alexander Volkanovski.
As mentioned before, he’s mostly known for his skills on the ground. But, he can hang on the feet enough to get the fight to where he wants it to go. However, he will have to be extremely aware of O’Malley’s reach and pinpointed striking abilities because if he catches you with that power hand, it has been lights out for many in the past.
Sean O’Malley Trying to Fulfill UFC Destiny
O’Malley (16-1-1 MMA, 8-1-1 UFC) is undoubtedly a star in MMA.
The Dana White Contender Series alum has been slightly compared to Conor McGregor.
O’Malley is one of the first names listed by today’s casual MMA fans. People like the colorful hair and the outfits and his cool, calm, and collected demeanor.
But a lot of people also like that this 135-pounder has proven to have some hands of stone. His resume includes 11 knockouts. Some of those on the receiving end include Eddie Wineland and Thomas Almeida.
His last couple of bouts have been a little controversial. An eye poke against Pedro Munhoz ended that fight, and O’Malley was given a chance to move on from that and face Petr Yan, who he beat in a highly-contested split decision.
Now he’s up for a title shot, and the UFC thinks it’s perfect to have the American with the Irish last name headlining in Boston.
While O’Malley’s stand-up is what he’s known for, his ground game is underrated. He also hasn’t had a chance to show it off against a top grappler like Sterling. However, it’s probably in O’Malley’s best interest to keep the fight standing as much as possible.
After this fight, the future of the bantamweight division becomes a little interesting. Even with a win, Sterling may move up to the featherweight division and leave room for his bestie, Merab Dvalishvili, to get the belt.
With a loss, Sterling will probably still move up, and we should see O’Malley vs. Dvalishvili next.
Stay tuned!
UFC 292 Props & Predictions
Here’s a sampling of Sterling vs. O’Malley props from around the betting market:
Method of Victory (DraftKings)
- Sterling by KO/TKO: +550
- Sterling by submission: +140
- Sterling by decision: +250
- Draw +5000
- O’Malley by KO/TKO: +330
- O’Malley by submission: +2000
- O’Malley by decision: +900
Total Rounds (BetRivers)
- Over 1.5 (-295), Under 1.5 (+205)
- Over 2.5 (-143), Under 2.5 (+108)
- Over 3.5 (+112), Under 3.5 (-148)
- Over 4.5 (+155), Under 4.5 (-210)
Will Fight Go The Distance? (BetRivers)
- Yes: +155
- No: -215
How Fight Will End (BetMGM)
- Submission: +125
- KO/TKO: +175
- Decision: +165
Prediction for Sterling vs. O’Malley in UFC 292 Main Event
It’s a bigger price than some bettors may feel comfortable laying, but we’ll play Sterling -250, with additional bets on Sterling by decision +250, and the fight ending in decision +165. The Funk Master stopped a lot of opponents earlier in his career, but nine of his last 14 fights, and seven of his last 11 wins have gone the distance, including two of the last three.
Full Main Card Odds
Bantamweight Championship: Aljamain Sterling (-258) vs. Sean O’Malley (+210)
Strawweight Championship: Zhang Weili (-310) vs. Amanda Lemos (+250)
Welterweight Bout: Neil Magny (+380) vs. Ian Garry (-500)
Bantamweight Bout: Da’Mon Blackshear (+190) vs. Mario Bautista (-245)
Bantamweight Bout: Marlon Vera (-198) vs. Pedro Munhoz (+164)
UFC 292 Event Info
Location: TD Garden, Boston, MA
Date: Saturday, Aug. 19, 2023
Start Time: Main Card at 10 p.m. ET
Where to Watch: ESPN+ PPV
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