It's time for Sean O'Malley to face the bantamweight division's boogeyman Merab Dvalishvili.
After defeating Marlon Vera at UFC 299, "Suga" will have his toughest title defense to date, and the O'Malley vs Dvalishvili odds back that up.
The challenger Dvalishvili is a narrow -125 favorite over O'Malley, who comes back as the -105 underdog.
Sean O'Malley vs Merab Dvalishvili Betting Odds
| Fighter | Odds |
|---|---|
| Sean O'Malley | -105 |
| Merab Dvalishvili | -125 |
Odds as of Mar. 11
Per our odds calculator, a $100 bet on Dvalishvili's -125 odds (55.56% implied chance) pays out $180. The same $100 on O'Malley at -105 (51.22% implied chance) pays out $195.24.
O'Malley vs Dvalishvili Betting Preview: Stuffin' Takedowns
Time for Sean to polish that takedown defense. Or will he knock out Merab before the trouble starts?
How To Bet O'Malley
Don't forget, O'Malley has pieced up a wrestler before (Aljamain Sterling), though perhaps not someone at Merab's level.
To win this fight, Suga Sean must lean into his strengths. O'Malley owns a five-inch height advantage and a four-inch reach advantage. Leg reach will be massive, too, as O'Malley can land those thunderous knees as Merab shoots for a takedown.
The early rounds will be big for O'Malley. He'll be nervous against Merab's grappling-heavy onslaught, and then if he can't hold up, Dvalishvili's cardio will take over.
If you're betting O'Malley, I'd look to an early knockout (think KO and UNDER 2.5 rounds). It will be very hard for the champ to win this fight by decision.
How To Bet Dvalishvili
Want to learn about "The Machine"? Take a look at Merab's fight vs Petr Yan in 2023. Dvalishvili attempted 49 takedowns in that bout, securing 11 of them. The 49 attempts set a new UFC single-fight record.
That's what Sean is facing. Even if Merab fails to land, he'll continuously shoot until his opponent gives out due to exhaustion. The Georgian gets top position and grinds his opponents down, waits for them to tire, then unloads the ground and pound.
If you're betting on Merab, you're looking at a five-round decision victory, as nine of his 10 UFC wins have come via the judges' scorecards.
O'Malley vs Dvalishvili Betting Pick
I believe O'Malley is special. He's a clever, accurate sniper who alters his gameplan to each opponent. He'll fight off his back vs Merab, but once he's back up, he'll let it fly.
Watch for O'Malley to feint, switch stances, and do everything he can to cross Merab up on the feet.
In the end, I'll bet O'Malley to win by KO and this fight to end inside the distance.
