The last time Sean O’Malley stepped into the Octagon, he was defeated by Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 306. Dvalishvili won the UFC Bantamweight Championship from O’Malley and has defended it once in the interim months.
This Saturday at UFC 316, Merab Dvalishvili vs. Sean O’Malley II will be the main event, with an estimated start time of 11:30 p.m.
The lines at UFC sportsbook sites favor Merab Dvalishvili by a large margin, suggesting he’ll retain his title and move to 2-0 against O’Malley.
Merab Dvalishvili vs. Sean O’Malley
- Merab Dvalishvili -275
- Sean O’Malley +225
- Over: 4.5 (-300)
- Under: 4.5 (+220)
The over/under for rounds implies that the fight will last into at least the fourth round, which indicates that the winner could be determined by a judge’s decision. The following UFC Prop bet also favors an outcome in which all five rounds are expected to be completed.
Will The Merab Dvalishvili vs. Sean O’Malley Fight Go The Distance?
- Yes -260
- No +190
A win by decision works to the advantage of Dvalishvili, as fifteen of his nineteen wins have been by decision. Twelve of O’Malley’s eighteen wins have come by knockout.
The moneyline odds in the following round betting line also favor a Dvalishvili win by decision at UFC 316.
Merab Dvalishvili vs. Sean O’Malley Round Betting
- Merab Dvalishvili – By Points -165
- Sean O’Malley – By Points +600
- Sean O’Malley – Round 1 +1400
- Sean O’Malley – Round 2 +1600
- Merab Dvalishvili – Round 1 +1800
- Merab Dvalishvili – Round 2 +1800
- Sean O’Malley – Round 3 +1800
- Merab Dvalishvili – Round 3 +2000
- Sean O’Malley – Round 4 +2000
- Merab Dvalishvili – Round 4 +2500
- Sean O’Malley – Round 5 +2500
- Merab Dvalishvili – Round 5 +3000
- Draw +8000
O’Malley has attempted to stoke Dvalishvili’s flames by making pre-fight comments criticizing his combat techniques.
“It’s no secret, it’s striker vs. wrestler, it’s finisher vs. decisioner. His game plan is to get ahold of me and hold me. My goal is to out there and put his lights out,”
Sean O’Malley
Pretty tall words for a fighter that has already been “decisioned” by Dvalishvili.
Dvalishvili has won his last twelve fights in a row and hasn’t lost since September 2018 to Ricky Simón at a UFC Fight Night. O’Malley has only lost twice during his career.
Also included on the UFC 316 card is a UFC Women’s Bantamweight Title bout between champion Julianna Pena and challenger Kayla Harrison. The odds imply that a title change will occur, as Harrison is a heavy favorite to win.
Julianna Pena vs. Kayla Harrison
- Julianna Pena +500
- Kayla Harrison -750
- Over: 3.5 (-105)
- Under: 3.5 (-125)
UFC 316 can be purchased on pay-per-view for $79.99 on ESPN+.
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