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Check out the best photos from Sean O’Malley’s second-round TKO win over Aljamain Sterling to win the bantamweight title at UFC 292.
Check out the best photos from [autotag]Sean O’Malley[/autotag]’s second-round TKO win over [autotag]Aljamain Sterling[/autotag] to win the bantamweight title at UFC 292 at TD Garden in Boston. (Photos by Bob DeChiara, USA TODAY Sports; MMA Junkie; and UFC)
Before the fights get underway, join MMA Junkie’s Farah Hannoun for a live-streamed preview of UFC 292.
UFC 292 takes place Saturday headlined by two title fights, but before the fights get underway, join MMA Junkie’s Farah Hannoun for a preview show right here at 5 p.m. ET.
In the main event, bantamweight champion [autotag]Aljamain Sterling[/autotag] (23-3 MMA, 15-3 UFC) takes on challenger [autotag]Sean O’Malley[/autotag] (16-1 MMA, 8-1 UFC). Sterling holds the UFC record for most consecutive title defenses at 135 pounds. In the co-feature, women’s strawweight champ [autotag]Zhang Weili[/autotag] (23-3 MMA, 7-2 UFC) meets challenger [autotag]Amanda Lemos[/autotag] (13-2-1 MMA, 7-2 UFC) in the first test of her second reign as titleholder.
UFC 292 takes place Saturday at TD Garden in Boston. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ABC, ESPN and ESPN+.
Below is the full lineup:
MAIN CARD (Pay-per-view, 10 p.m. ET)
PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN/ESPN+, 8 p.m. ET)
PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 6 p.m. ET)
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 292.
In the final “Embedded” of UFC 292 fight week, Aljamain Sterling had A LOT to say to Sean O’Malley’s face at ceremonial weigh-ins.
The UFC is back with its 10th pay-per-view of the year, which means the popular “Embedded” fight-week video series is here to document what’s happening behind the scenes.
UFC 292 takes place Saturday at TD Garden in Boston. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and early prelims on ESPN+.
In the main event, bantamweight champion [autotag]Aljamain Sterling[/autotag] (23-3 MMA, 15-3 UFC) takes on challenger [autotag]Sean O’Malley[/autotag] (16-1 MMA, 8-1 UFC). Sterling holds the UFC record for most consecutive title defenses at 135 pounds. In the co-feature, women’s strawweight champ [autotag]Zhang Weili[/autotag] (23-3 MMA, 7-2 UFC) meets challenger [autotag]Amanda Lemos[/autotag] (13-2-1 MMA, 7-2 UFC) in the first test of her second reign as titleholder.
In addition, former middleweight champ Chris Weidman (15-6 MMA, 11-6 UFC) returns from more than two years out after a severe broken leg in 2021. He takes on Brad Tavares (19-9 MMA, 14-8 UFC) in a featured bout on the prelims.
The sixth and final episode of “Embedded” follows the featured fighters while they get ready for fight week. Here is the UFC’s description of the episode from YouTube:
The athletes make weight and the stage is set for two title fights in Boston: Aljamain Sterling looks to turn back Sean O’Malley’s quest for gold while Zhang Weili defends her belt against surging Brazilian Amanda Lemos.
Also see:
[listicle id=2669956]
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 292.
MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom offers his thoughts and makes his picks for each UFC 292 main card fight.
MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom breaks down the UFC’s top bouts. Today, we look at the main card for UFC 292.
UFC 292 takes place Saturday at TD Garden in Boston. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ABC/ESPN and early prelims on ESPN+.
Last event’s results: 3-3
Overall picks for UFC main cards in 2023: 78-62-4
Welcome to MMA Junkie’s Quick Picks and Prognostications, where I’ll be giving brief, fight-day breakdowns for UFC main cards.
With that in mind, I hope these write-ups don’t come off as curt or dismissive, as my goal here is to offer quick picks and analysis in a digestible format. All odds listed are provided by FanDuel.
If you’d like more detailed analysis from me, then feel free to check out my weekly show, The Protect Ya’ Neck Podcast.
So, without further ado…
Analyzing Saturday’s UFC 292 odds between Aljamain Sterling vs. Sean O’Malley with MMA picks and predictions.
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In a 5-round bantamweight championship bout on the main card, Aljamain Sterling and Sean O’Malley meet at UFC 292 at TD Garden in Boston Saturday. Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s lines around the UFC 292: Sterling vs. O’Malley odds, and make our expert picks and predictions.
Records: Sterling (23-3-0) | O’Malley (16-1-0)
The early prelims begin at 6:30 p.m. ET, and can be viewed on ESPN+. The prelims start at 8 p.m. ET, and can be viewed on ESPN/ESPN+, while the main card starts at 10 p.m. ET on Pay-Per-View.
Sterling took the strap from Petr Yan at UFC 259, and he has defended it on 3 occasions—winning twice via split decision. That includes his last defense and Henry Cejudo at UFC 288 in early May.
Sterling is the champ, and he has been dominant, rattling off 9 straight victories since a 1st-round KO/TKO to Marlon Moraes in Dec. 2017. However, he has ended up going the distance in 5 of those 9 bouts, including 2 narrow split-decision wins in his past 3 outings.
O’Malley has 4 victories in the past 5 outings, with a no contest against Pedro Munhoz at UFC 276. He picked up a split-decision win over Yan last time out at UFC 280, while registering 3 KO/TKO wins in 2021.
The champ gives up an inch in reach advantage, but he has the significant experience and has fought some of the best in the division. O’Malley has had mixed results against some of the best at the top of the welterweight class, topping Yan, while falling to Marlon Vera at UFC 252. This will be a huge step up for “Sugar”.
Watch this card with ESPN+ by signing up here.
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 10:17 a.m. ET.
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O’MALLEY (+200) is a strong play for a chance to double up. It obviously won’t be easy, but the challenger is known for his speed and tremendous amount of punches. He has posted 7.43 significant strikes per minute, to the more measured 4.78 for Sterling (-250).
O’Malley is just as accurate in the strikes category, too, posting 61.29% to 61.32% for the champ. Sterling is going to be dodging and weaving, trying to find a way to get Sugar to the canvas. That’s where Sterling holds a significant advantage, posting a 2.02 takedown average and 0.80 submission average. For O’Malley to win, he needs to keep this fight upright, or it could turn on a dime.
YES (+165): WILL THE FIGHT GO THE DISTANCE? is worth a roll of the dice.
Sterling has ended up going the distance in 2 of his past 3 title fights, and 9 of his past 14 UFC bouts overall. He is precise, he makes the judges notice his technique, and he is a very smart fighter. However, O’Malley is quick, wild and powerful. He has been involved in 6 KO/TKO results in the past 8 UFC fights, winning 5 of those. However, when he faced a significant upgrade in opponent against Yan, he ended up going the distance. Sterling is a top-notch fighter who will make O’Malley go all the way if he wants to win.
Visit MMA Junkie for more fight news and analysis.
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For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.
Follow Kevin J. Erickson on Twitter. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and us on Facebook.
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Join MMA Junkie Radio’s “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” for a live-streamed watch-along of UFC 292 in Boston.
UFC 292 takes place Saturday headlined by two title fights, and MMA Junkie Radio’s “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” will host a live-streamed watch-along right here, which kicks off at 8 p.m. ET.
In the main event, bantamweight champion [autotag]Aljamain Sterling[/autotag] (23-3 MMA, 15-3 UFC) takes on challenger [autotag]Sean O’Malley[/autotag] (16-1 MMA, 8-1 UFC). Sterling holds the UFC record for most consecutive title defenses at 135 pounds. In the co-feature, women’s strawweight champ [autotag]Zhang Weili[/autotag] (23-3 MMA, 7-2 UFC) meets challenger [autotag]Amanda Lemos[/autotag] (13-2-1 MMA, 7-2 UFC) in the first test of her second reign as titleholder.
UFC 292 takes place Saturday at TD Garden in Boston. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ABC, ESPN and ESPN+.
Below is the lineup of fights included in the watch-along:
MAIN CARD (Pay-per-view, 10 p.m. ET)
PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN/ESPN+, 8 p.m. ET)
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 292.
Israel Adesanya thinks Sean O’Malley beating Aljamain Sterling would make for a great storyline.
[autotag]Israel Adesanya[/autotag] thinks [autotag]Sean O’Malley[/autotag] beating [autotag]Aljamain Sterling[/autotag] would make for a great storyline.
Sterling (23-3 MMA, 15-3 UFC) defends his bantamweight title against O’Malley (16-1 MMA, 8-1 UFC) in Saturday’s UFC 292 main event at TD Garden in Boston. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ABC/ESPN and early prelims on ESPN+.
UFC middleweight champion Adesanya, a former kickboxing champion, is a fan of O’Malley’s striking style and thinks his ground game is underrated.
“They can both strike and they can both grapple,” Adesanya said on his YouTube channel. “I like Sean’s flow, his work, the way he fights, the way he moves, his footwork, his taunts, his kicks, his selection, his combinations, the way he picks his shots, the way he darts in and out.
“It’s pretty to watch. I’s beautiful to watch. I’m an artist and I appreciate beautiful art. Same with Aljamain, the way he just sticks to people, and just his body – he’s shredded at 135. Once he catches you, it’s like, boom: You have a muscle-ninja turtle on your back.”
Adesanya sees a clear game plan for both fighters, but just has a gut feeling that it’s O’Malley’s time to shine.
“Aljamain’s grabbing a hold of him and beat him up, Sean keeping him away with good footwork, good positioning and pinpoint striking,” Adesanya said. “Also, Sean’s slick on the ground. Scramble for your life. Do not let him get settled because the more he settles, the stronger he gets.
“If it goes the distance, I think he can do it. O’Malley’s locked in. I think he can do five rounds. I’m going to go Sean, official pick. I’m going to go Sean with this one. Sometimes you just feel like it’s time, it’s destiny.”
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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 292.
Check out the best photos from the UFC 292 ceremonial faceoffs, which took place Friday at TD Garden in Boston.
BOSTON – The 24 fighters competing at got one final look at each other before they cross paths inside the cage Saturday at UFC 292.
The event’s ceremonial weigh-ins and faceoffs took place Friday at TD Garden, the same venue that hosts the fights. Among them were the four competitors fighting for title gold: [autotag]Aljamain Sterling[/autotag], [autotag]Sean O’Malley[/autotag], [autotag]Zhang Weili[/autotag], and [autotag]Amanda Lemos[/autotag].
Check out the best photos from the ceremonial faceoffs, via MMA Junkie’s Nolan King.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 292.
Saturday’s UFC 292 main event bantamweight title fight is official after the headliners faced off one final time Friday in Boston.
BOSTON – Saturday’s UFC main event title fight is set after the headliners had their final faceoff Friday.
Ahead of UFC 292, which takes place at TD Garden in Boston, bantamweight champion [autotag]Aljamain Sterling[/autotag] (23-3 MMA, 15-3 UFC) and challenger [autotag]Sean O’Malley[/autotag] (16-1 MMA, 8-1 UFC) got face to face at the ceremonial weigh-ins.
The champ Aljamain Sterling had A LOT to say to a stoic Sean O'Malley in the final #UFC292 main event faceoff. 🗣 pic.twitter.com/vCBDf8MMDA
— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) August 18, 2023
Check out the video from the event above.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 292.
In the latest UFC 292 “Embedded,” the media day and pre-fight press conference go down, and Zhang Weili gets a message from Tom Brady.
The UFC is back with its 10th pay-per-view of the year, which means the popular “Embedded” fight-week video series is here to document what’s happening behind the scenes.
UFC 292 takes place Saturday at TD Garden in Boston. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and early prelims on ESPN+.
In the main event, bantamweight champion [autotag]Aljamain Sterling[/autotag] (23-3 MMA, 15-3 UFC) takes on challenger [autotag]Sean O’Malley[/autotag] (16-1 MMA, 8-1 UFC). Sterling holds the UFC record for most consecutive title defenses at 135 pounds. In the co-feature, women’s strawweight champ [autotag]Zhang Weili[/autotag] (23-3 MMA, 7-2 UFC) meets challenger [autotag]Amanda Lemos[/autotag] (13-2-1 MMA, 7-2 UFC) in the first test of her second reign as titleholder.
In addition, former middleweight champ Chris Weidman (15-6 MMA, 11-6 UFC) returns from more than two years out after a severe broken leg in 2021. He takes on Brad Tavares (19-9 MMA, 14-8 UFC) in a featured bout on the prelims.
The fifth episode of “Embedded” follows the featured fighters while they get ready for fight week. Here is the UFC’s description of the episode from YouTube:
Sean O’Malley welcomes his destiny. Ian Machado Garry and Neil Magny get ready for battle. Champ Aljamain Sterling suits up. Words fly at the presser, followed by intense staredowns between champs and their foes.
Also see:
[listicle id=2669956]
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 292.
