UFC 299 is here at last, scheduled for Saturday night at the Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida. The thrilling fight card is headlined by a mouthwatering main event between UFC bantamweight champion “Suga” Sean O’Malley and Marlon “Chito” Vera.

O’Malley will be defending his title for the very first time, while Vera will be looking to prove himself once again, since he is the only man who has beaten O’Malley in an MMA fight so far.

The rest of the card features a five-round co-main between veteran UFC lightweight Dustin Poirier and one of the sport’s rising stars – No. 12-ranked lightweight Benoit Saint Denis. Additionally, Kevin Holland will take on Michael Page in the welterweight division, Song Yadong will fight Petr Yan in the bantamweight division, and Gilbert Burns faces Jack Della Maddalena in another welterweight bout.

This is shaping up to be an unbelievable night of action. Here we provide our favorite picks for these upcoming UFC fights, including O’Malley-Vera odds and picks for the main card.

Best UFC 299 Parlay Picks Today: 3-Leg Parlay Pick (+1632)

Leg-1 Parlay Pick: Sean O’Malley to win by decision (+110)

Leg-2 Parlay Pick: Dustin Poirier to win (+175)

Leg-3 Parlay Pick: Song Yadong to win by decision (+200)

Odds are subject to change*

UFC 299 Parlay Picks @(+1632): Bet $10 to Win $173.25

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UFC 299 Predictions and Best Bets 

Sean O’Malley vs. Chito Vera Prediction and Pick

Sean O’Malley has famously claimed that he is still undefeated despite having one official loss on his MMA resume. That defeat came at the hands of Chito Vera, and O’Malley has been demanding a rematch for quite some time now.

The first time these fighters met, a leg kick from Vera struck a nerve that numbed O’Malley’s right leg. Unable to plant and apply weight to that leg, “Suga Sean” crumbled to the ground on multiple occasions while trying to step into his punches.

Vera took advantage, crushing O’Malley with devastating elbows on the ground and ending the fight via KO/TKO. With O’Malley claiming it was an unfair contest and refusing to acknowledge it as a loss, Vera now gets a chance to prove that his win was no fluke.

Some UFC fans take O’Malley’s side regarding the outcome of the first match, while others maintain that Vera’s leg kicks are brutal by nature and that O’Malley was simply unable to withstand them. That will certainly be a part of Vera’s game plan this second time around. He’ll attempt to limit the current champion's movement and mobility, weakening his potential to inflict damage in the process.

For O’Malley, Saturday night is an opportunity to mount his first title defense and show how much he has matured as a fighter since his first meeting with Vera. He has been calling for this fight for a long time, and what better way to see it through than with a belt on the line.

In his most recent fight, O’Malley put on a show against Aljamain Sterling to claim the title, dealing a devastating counter punch that sent Sterling to the ground. The new champion's boxing skills are incredible, and he’ll be looking to land significant strikes throughout his encounter with Vera.

This should be a phenomenal fight, and I have O’Malley winning it by decision. 

The Pick: Sean O’Malley to win by decision (+110)

Dustin Poirier vs. Benoit Saint Denis Prediction and Pick

Dustin Poirier returns to the Octagon in 2024 with a point to prove. He was on the attack in last year's fight against Justin Gaethje before leaning into a perfectly timed head kick in the second round that ended the fight instantly. Poirier was knocked out clean, and some fans believe he might now be past his prime in MMA.

His opponent this time around is rising star Benoit Saint Denis, who lost his first UFC fight back in 2021 but has since won five straight while rising up the ranks of the lightweight division.

The French fighter has already achieved several impressive finishes, notably defeating Matt Frevola with a first-round head kick in his last fight and causing significant damage to Thiago Moises in front of a roaring home crowd in Paris in September 2023.

Saint Denis, who fought three times in the second half of 2023, now gets his first fight of 2024 against his biggest UFC opponent to date. Poirier is currently ranked third, while Saint Denis is at No. 12 and climbing. A win over Poirier would give him a genuine case for a top-six position, and put him one or two fights away from a title challenge.

That said, I love Poirier’s experience and am not ready to write him off just yet. His only defeats in recent years have come at the hands of Charles Oliveira, Gaethje and Khabib Nurmagomedov -- three of the best lightweights the UFC has seen.

In my opinion, Poirier is still a member of that elite group. While I think Saint Denis will cause problems early on in this one, I’m backing the Louisiana native to pull off a victory and remind everyone why he’s still one of the top lightweights around.

The Pick: Dustin Poirier to win (+175)

Petr Yan vs. Song Yadong Prediction and Pick

There will be multiple fights in the UFC bantamweight division at UFC 299, and the headline, of course, is the title fight between Sean O’Malley and Chito Vera. Be sure, however, to pay close attention to another bantamweight fight on the main card between third-ranked Petr Yan and seventh-ranked Song Yadong. These are two very experienced and talented UFC fighters.

Yadong won both of his fights in 2023 and is looking to make another run in the division by beating Yan. With 29 fights to his name already, Yadong has a record of 21-7-1 and is still only 26 years old. This weekend's fight against Yan marks a pivotal point in his career, because a win would give him a chance at a run in the top five, while a loss might condemn him to mediocrity in the bantamweight class.

Russia’s Yan has a fighting record of 16-5, but he is trying desperately to snap a cold streak that has seen him lose his last three fights. The fallen star has had a tough run in the UFC, having lost his belt with an illegal knee against Aljamain Sterling in 2021.

He earned a rematch with Sterling, but then lost again -- this time by split decision -- and then lost his next fight to Sean O’Malley by split decision. That one was questionable, since many believe Yan actually won the fight. In any event, the loss to O’Malley is a stain on Yan’s resume.

Yan has gone from 15-1 to 16-5, with his lone win coming via decision against Cory Sandhagen.

This clash between two seasoned bantamweights promises to be a thrilling brawl, since both fighters are capable of dishing out and enduring significant punishment. It makes for what should be an exciting showdown in the UFC.

I actually slightly prefer Song Yadong in this one. It's a three-round bout, which Yan hasn't experienced in years, and Yadong typically starts faster in fights.

Both will trade blows, but I’ll take Yadong in this one via decision.

The Pick: Song Yadong to win by decision (+100)

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