UFC 299 Preview and Predictions
UFC 299 previews as one of the best fight cards in a long time. The UFC assembled a ridiculous fight card for Miami, Florida that is packed with highly intriguing matchups. The bantamweight title bout between Sean O’Malley and Marlon Vera headlines the action, but every fight on the main card is a banger.
Join Vendetta Sports Media as we preview and predict the UFC 299 main card. You can find our prediction records below.
James: 23-12
Garrett: 20-15
Anthony: 18-17
Jerry: 18-17
No. 4 Petr Yan vs. No. 7 Song Yadong- Bantamweight Bout
James: The UFC 299 main card opens with a bantamweight bout between Petr Yan and Song Yadong. This fight demonstrates the strength of this card. On an outstanding card, this fight is a sensational fight between two talented strikers that could be the fight of the night. Despite being on a horrific 1-4 run, Yan is one of the best fighters in the division. The former champion is desperately looking to get back in the win column. Yadong is a 26-year-old who has proven that he belongs against the best in the bantamweight division. At 10-2-1, he has done a bunch of good work at a very young age.
Yan is among the most technical and violent strikers in the bantamweight division. It is hard to find opponents that can stand and trade with him. He makes great reads, has dangerous hands, and has serious kicks. Those weapons can be used in combinations and he throws to the head and the body.
Yadong is an outstanding boxer that sits in the pocket and throws massive shots. That is dangerous because he is fast, hits hard, throws in combinations, digs to the body, and lands counters. It makes him a tough fighter to strike with.
The UFC 299 main card opener is a sensational fight that previews to be a war. Yan and Yadong are both willing to engage in a high-level striking battle. I expect both fighters to have success, but I lean toward Yan. The main reason is because of his defensive skills. Yan is very measured and limits the damage that comes back his way. Plus, he has better kicks which provides him more upside to land at a distance. Those two reasons are enough to push me toward Yan. I will take Yan by decision.
Garrett: Yadong via decision
Jerry: Yan via decision
Anthony: Yan via decision
No. 4 Gilbert Burns vs. No. 11 Jack Della Maddalena- Welterweight Bout
James: At UFC 299, Gilbert Burns will fight Jack Della Maddalena. Burns is a veteran with a 7-3 UFC record in the welterweight division. At UFC 288, he suffered a shoulder injury that has kept him sidelined. Now, he is making his return at 37-years-old. Meanwhile, Della Maddalena is a great prospect who is looking to break into the welterweight top five. Thus far into his UFC run, he has impressed while winning all six of his UFC fights.
Burns is one of the best BJJ practitioners to transition into MMA. In his jiu-jitsu career, he won the IBJJF World Championship in both gi and no-gi jiu-jitsu. Those submission skills translate to the UFC. Plus, Burns has added solid takedowns to help him get the fight to the ground. If it stays standing, Burns is not an elite striker, but he has serious power and can land massive counters.
Della Maddalena is a terrific boxer. In the pocket, he throws in combinations and lands with thudding power. Once he gets inside, he rips to the body and lands hooks that finish fights. That style allows him to win minutes and rounds or land quick knockouts.
This is the definition of a striker versus grappler matchup. Burns will have success if the gets to the ground and Della Maddalena will find success on the feet. As far as a prediction goes, the key factor will be Burns’ ability to land takedowns. In previous fights, Della Maddalena has shown flaws once he gets put on his back. If Burns can land takedowns, he should be able to expose those flaws and land a submission. Out of respect for Burns’ grappling credentials, I think that is how this fight plays out. I will take Burns by second-round submission.
Garrett: Della Maddalena via TKO
Jerry: Della Maddalena via KO/TKO
Anthony: Burns via submission
No. 13 Kevin Holland vs. Michael Page- Welterweight Bout
James: The UFC 299 feature bout is a welterweight scrap between Kevin Holland and Michael “Venom” Page. This bout will be Page’s UFC debut. The 36-year-old made a name for himself outside of the UFC as he complied a 21-2 MMA record with 19 fights in Bellator. In that run, Page established himself as a dynamic striker with serious power. In his debut, he drew into a fight with ranked welterweight and fan favorite Holland. More importantly, Holland is someone who will stand and trade with Page to give the fans a fun fight.
Holland is an unorthodox fighter that uses his length to land big punches. That has allowed him to land finishes because he carries a respectable amount of power. Plus, he will use his Kung Fu background to throw a unique set of kicks. If Holland hurts a fighter with his striking, he can use his front choke series to finish the fight. That gives him additional finish upside.
Page is a highly unique fighter in his own right. That is largely because of his length, sideways stance, kicking attack, and explosiveness. That style has allowed Page to create an impressive highlight reel filled with brutal knockouts. In the past, Page has finished fights with flying knees, counterpunches, leg kicks, and more.
This is an interesting stylistic clash because Holland and Page are both unique fighters. Typically, both fighters hold significant length advantages in their fights. That will not be the case in this matchup as both fighters are listed at six-foot-three. In the reach, Holland will have a two-inch advantage. That size parity will lead to more boxing exchanges which should favor Holland. Page may be the better overall striker, but Holland likely has better hands. I will take Holland by decision.
Garrett: Holland via TKO
Jerry: Holland via decision
Anthony: Holland via KO/TKO
No. 3 Dustin Poirier vs. No. 12 Benoit Saint-Denis- Lightweight Bout
James: The UFC 299 co-main event is a five-round fight between Dustin Poirier and Benoit Saint-Denis. Poirier has been a staple at the top of the lightweight division for years and has recently gained massive stardom. At 35, he is coming off a knockout loss to Justin Gaethje and is looking to get back in the win column. In this matchup, he is fighting a tough up-and-comer. Saint-Denis has a record of 13-1 with a 5-1 UFC record. The sole loss in his career came on short notice at welterweight. At lightweight, he has proven to serious problem and has earned a shot at a big name.
Poirier is one of the best boxers in the UFC because of his proficiency in both the offensive and defensive aspects of the skill set. In a technical bout, Poirier can land big punches without eating too many shots. Although, he is also capable of going into the fire and brawling with his opponent. In either type of fight, he can get his hands raised. Poirier supplements his boxing with leg kicks and a few kicks above the belt to add some depth to his game.
Saint-Denis is an absolute maniac who gets in wild fights. The Frenchmen sets an insane pace and aggressively throws big shots. The best attacks are his kicks. If Saint-Denis lands his left kick on his opponent’s body or head, it does serious damage. Plus, he throws long combinations of big hooks to the body and head. In most cases, this style results in getting smoked with counters. That is less of a concern for Saint-Denis because of his superhuman durability. Furthermore, his power and cardio help him quickly break his opponents. Lastly, Saint-Denis’ ability to get the fight to the ground is underrated and he does great work from top position.
This fight is going to be a war for as long as it lasts. Saint-Denis is going to bring a war at Poirier. In all likelihood, Poirier will not back down from that challenge. I am expecting Saint-Denis to use his kicks to back Poirier up to the fence where he will let his hands fly. In those exchanges, both fighters will land hard shots. Ultimately, I give Saint-Denis an edge because he can land punches while mixing in his wrestling. The accumulation of damage from the striking exchanges and top control will help Saint-Denis finish the fight on the ground. I will take Saint-Denis by second-round submission.
Garrett: Poirier via decision
Jerry: Saint-Denis via submission
Anthony: Saint-Denis via KO/TKO
(C) Sean O’Malley vs. No. 5 Marlon Vera- Bantamweight Title Bout
James: The UFC 299 main event features a bantamweight title fight between Sean O’Malley and Marlon Vera. This fight is a rematch of a bout that took place in 2020. In that matchup, Vera landed a leg kick that hit O’Malley’s nerve and ended the fight. That loss is still the only loss of O’Malley’s career. In the time since that fight, O’Malley has raddled off five wins which culminated in winning the UFC bantamweight title and becoming one of the biggest stars in the sport. Meanwhile, Vera went 5-2 over a stiff level of competition. At UFC 299, Vera is getting a fast track to a title fight because of his history with the champion.
O’Malley is an outstanding striker with a great mix of skills, attributes, and intangibles. O’Malley is five-foot-11 with a 72-inch reach. That length plays into his style. O’Malley is great at managing distance and attacking from range. That begins with his long attacks like his teep and jab. Once those attacks land, he can open up with a wide array of kicks to all three levels. If he gets in boxing exchanges, he can use his fast hands to land impactful shots. Additionally, he can land counters if he is put on the back foot. Lastly, his power adds emphasis to all of his skills.
Vera is a dangerous fighter who can quickly deal damage. That starts with his jab. Vera throws a stiff jab and straight. Those weapons can quickly alter fights if he can find his mark. As expected, his hooks land with power, but he does not throw that strike as much as the aforementioned straight shots. As far as kicking goes, Vera has a highly underrated kicking attack. That is mainly because he throws a lot of unorthodox kicks, but he can land them. That includes front kicks, hook kicks, and spinning attacks. Those attacks are thrown in extension to the more typical set of kicks like teep and standard roundhouse kicks to all three levels. Vera is also highly durable and has great cardio, making him a serious threat for five rounds.
This UFC 299 preview favors O’Malley. Vera is highly skilled, but O’Malley has a lot of tools that have historically caused Vera problems. In Vera’s fight with Cory Sandhagen, Sandhagen presented a game plan that used length, movement, footwork, feints, stance switches, and attack variety to confuse Vera and keep him out of range. O’Malley is the only other fighter with the required length and skills to follow that game plan. I expect him to do exactly that. With that being said, this fight will be very interesting if Vera can find a way to stifle O’Malley’s movement and make him stationary. That is easier said than done, however. I will take O’Malley by decision.
Garrett: O’Malley via decision
Jerry: O’Malley via KO/TKO
Anthony: O’Malley via KO/TKO
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