Undisputed UFC bantamweight champion, Aljamain Sterling has emerged as a massive betting favorite to overcome expected next title challenger, Sean O’Malley later this summer – in search of his fourth championship defense.
Sterling, who headlined UFC 288 over the course of last weekend, managed to become the first bantamweight champion in Octagon antiquity to successfully lodge three consecutive defenses.
Battling former duel-weight champion, Henry Cejudo, Sterling nabbed a close, back-and-forth split decision (48-47, 48-47, 47-48) decision victory over the Olympic gold medalist.
Prior to his win, Sterling had successfully racked up a decision win over two-time foe and former champion, Petr Yan, as well as stopping former two-time champion, T.J. Dillashaw last October in a successful title knockback.
As for Montana native, O’Malley, the Dana White’s Contender Series alum has been sidelined since that same UFC 280 event back in October, defeating common-foe, Yan in his own close decision success in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
Earmarked as the next title challenger following Cejudo’s unsuccessful siege against Sterling, O’Malley met with the defending bantamweight championship inside the Octagon following UFC 288 last weekend.
And with odds opening in the immediate aftermath of the Newark, New Jersey pay-per-view event, Sterling has opened as a considerable betting favorite (-240) to defeat the current #2 ranked contender, O’Malley (+205) ahead of an expected title showdown later this year.
A slew of markets and bookies are offering odds on sports betting events and even fights over the year, with prop bets and outright winning odds available ahead of Serra-Longo MMA staple, Sterling’s expected title fight with O’Malley later this annum.
Initially, UFC president, Dana White confirmed that a potential August 19. title fight at UFC 292 in Boston, Massachusetts was on the cards for Sterling’s next title outing, however, the Uniondale native has distanced himself from a fight on the East Coast once again.
However, the New Yorker has offered a rather comprehensive prediction for his fight with O’Malley later this annum.
“My thoughts on Sean O’Malley; that motherf*cker is frail,” Aljamain Sterling said after UFC 288. “Frail. You think if I can take down a short, stocky guy like Henry (Cejudo) who’s actually a gold medalist (in the Olympics) and actually has good takedown defense – what I am going to do to Sean O’Malley, like?”
“… I guarantee you, we step in there – I think I fold that man in half in one round,” Aljamain Sterling continued. “It’s just gonna look – same thing I did to (Cory) Sandhagen. Go out there and pressure forward, he’s gonna use his footwork, I’m gonna cut off the cage like I was just talking about. Eventually, he’s gonna be on his backfoot, let him throw a stupid kick that I’m gonna catch, I’m gonna bodylock him. And I’m gonna fold him in half like a lawn chair, and that’s gonna be the fight.”
Notably, during his time as undisputed bantamweight champion, Sterling has closed as a betting underdog for both his champion unification rematch with Russian striker, Yan, as well as last weekend’s opponent, Cejudo.