Bantamweight Contenders
The winner of Petr Yan vs Sean O’Malley gets a shot at the bantamweight title and we can’t wait to see what unfolds.
UFC odds have Yan as the clear favorite, but O’Malley is one of the most exciting fighters in the organization.
We expect nothing short of a blockbuster in Dubai on Saturday.
Let’s check the latest UFC odds, stats, and UFC lines for Yan vs O’Malley. We’ve plenty of UFC betting odds for you to consider.
Yan Trying to Stop Drought
Yan has only three losses on his impressive record, but two of them came in his last three fights.
The 29-year-old Russian was controversially disqualified in the first meeting against Aljamain Sterling before losing on merit to the American earlier this year.
It’s a concern for bettors looking to take the -280 price for Yan, who is much shorter in betting markets than we would have imagined.
Yan has experience fighting in bigger bouts than O’Malley, but he didn’t look as explosive against Sterling and that’s a concern. We can also pick holes in his record, which includes knockout wins over Uriah Faber and Jose Aldo, who were nearing the end of their careers.
We expected the sportsbook to have Yan around -130, but we’re respecting the odds. He’s clearly expected to be tough to beat, but we’re not the only ones surprised by the odds.
“But if you ask the casuals, it’s like, ‘Oh, Petr is going to smoke him. He’s a 3-1 underdog or whatever.’ I’m a little surprised, but also I kind of get it from other people’s perspectives. But I believe I’m better than Petr Yan,” O’Malley told MMAJunkie.
O’Malley Facing Biggest Test
O’Malley has a sizable reach advantage and that could offset his lack of experience against the top guys in the bantamweight division.
A human highlight reel, the 27-year-old hasn’t fought since knocking out Raulian Paiva at UFC 269. He can only beat what has been put in front of him and he has done it in fine style.
His only loss came when injuring himself against Marlon Vera, which went down as a TKO finish. He should be unbeaten and he’s a worthy challenger for Yan.
A win would catapult O’Malley to astronomical levels of stardom, similar to what Conor McGregor experienced.
“People want a superstar. There’s really no one in the UFC right now that is at that Conor level,” O’Malley said. “Me, I go out there and beat Petr in spectacular fashion, I’m climbing. I’m not going to be there yet and I know that, but I’m climbing to become that guy.”
Vegas odds have O’Malley at +210 and those odds are tough to overlook. He has the style and power to knock out anyone in the division, so bookmakers are taking a risk because they know he’ll have his fair share of supporters.
Yan vs O’Malley Head-to-Head
It’s the first meeting between Yan and O’Malley.
Yan vs O’Malley Fight Information
- Game: Yan (16-3) vs O’Malley (15-1)
- Location: Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi, Dubai
- Day/Time: Saturday, Oct. 22, 3 p.m. ET
- Yan vs O’Malley Live stream: UFC Fight Pass
Yan vs O’Malley Betting Lines
Yan vs O’Malley Prediction
We can’t turn down the value of O’Malley. He’s an exciting fighter and we think he could finish Yan with a knockout.
The +210 is an exceptional price for the underdog at UFC 280, and fighting over three rounds only helps his chances of success.
Many of Yan’s victories have come late in five-round fights, so turning down the value for O’Malley is tough.
