UFC 299 Results: Sean O’Malley Dominates Marlon Vera To Retain Bantamweight Title

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Miami, March 10: Sean O'Malley outworked Marlon Vera to retain Bantamweight World Championship in the main event of UFC 299: Volkanovski vs. Topuria event at the Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida on Sunday (February 18).

The third numbered event of 2024, which was the 4th highest grossing UFC event of all time, saw nine of the 14 fights go the distance, including the main event title showdown, while five end in stoppages - one submission finish and three by either technical knock outs of KO.

Dustin Poirier vs Benoit Saint Denis co-main event bagged the fight of the night award, while four other fighters - Della Maddalena, Blaydes, Pereira and Robelis Despaigne bagged performance bonuses for their respective stoppage wins. Here is the recap from UFC 299:

UFC 299 Recap

In the main event, O'Malley defended his UFC bantamweight belt in a rematch against the only man to give him a loss on his record, the dangerous "Chito" Vera.

With style points and a measure of revenge mixed in, O'Malley planted punch after punch throughout all five rounds en route to a beautiful unanimous decision over a very tough and game Vera.

After the title defence, O'Malley turned his attention towards another champion, saying, "It feels good getting that one back. I'm guessing we can all agree, I'm undefeated still. Dana, give me a jet to Spain, baby!

"I'm coming for (UFC featherweight champion) Ilia Topuria! He's a scary dude. Going up a weight class excites me. But honestly, I'm here for whatever. If you guys want me to knockout Merab (Dvalishvili) I'll do that too."

In the co-main event, one of the greatest lightweights ever, #3 Poirier, took on surging finisher #12 ranked Saint Denis. Battling through suffocating pressure, Poirier was able to halt the ascent of Saint Denis with a second-round TKO.

Following the early stoppage, Poirier said, "I was getting beat up a little bit, but I got him at the end. I took this fight because he finished his last five opponents. He wasn't a name that the world really knows, he's on his way up, and he's dangerous. He has a never say die attitude."

Poirier also recalled how a former champion gave him a shot earlier, "I had to take this fight because of honor. Eddie Alvarez gave me my shot when he was a former champion and I was on my way up. So you've got to pay it back. Hold your position or lose it, that's the nature of the beast."

Also on the main card, Jack Della Maddalena got a third round finish over Gilbert Burns in the Fight of the Night, Michael "Venom" Page duly impressed in his debut with a decision win over Kevin Holland.

In the main card opener, "The Kung Fu Kid" Song Yadong challenged former interim champion Petr Yan for a chance to take his top five ranking in a bantamweight bout.

Song delivered a perfect round one with boxing, shoots and feints, then Yan established his distance in round two, landing big strikes and ending well with a lightning takedown.

Round three was a gruelling showcase of boxing acumen peppered with shoots from both, until the final minute when Yan succeeded in getting a takedown and control that swung the scorecards in his favor, putting him in contention for future bantamweight title shot.

Earlier on the preliminary card, Muay Thai mainstay Joanne Wood retired from MMA with a brilliant final round. Two-meter tall Taekwondo champ Robelis Despaigne debuted with an 18-second knockout.

Also, Michel Pereira danced to the cage and away with a 1-minute 1-second victory. Curtis Blaydes halted the 15-fight win streak of Jailton Almeida, while Assu Almabayev, Philipe Lins, Kyler Phillips and Maycee Barber earned decision wins. Here is a look at the UFC 299 final results:

UFC 299 Results

• Bantamweight World Championship Bout: Sean O'Malley defeats Marlon Vera by unanimous decision (50-45, 50-45, 50-44)
• Lightweight Bout: Dustin Poirier defeats Benoit Saint Denis by KO (strikes) at 2:32 of Round 2
• Welterweight Bout: Michael Page defeats Kevin Holland by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28. 29-28)
• Welterweight Bout: Jack Della Maddalena defeats Gilbert Burns by KO (knee and elbows) at 3:43 of Round 3
• Bantamweight Bout: Petr Yan defeats Song Yadong by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Heavyweight Bout: Curtis Blaydes defeats Jailton Almeida by TKO (strikes) at 0:36 of Round 2
• Women's Flyweight Bout: Maycee Barber defeats Katlyn Cerminara by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
• Lightweight Bout: Mateusz Gamrot defeats Rafael Dos Anjos by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
• Bantamweight Bout: Kyler Phillips defeats Pedro Munoz by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
• Light Heavyweight Bout: Philipe Lins defeats Ion Cutelaba by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Middleweight Bout: Michel Pereira defeats Michal Oleksiejczuk by submission (rear-naked choke) at 1:01 of Round 1
• Heavyweight Bout: Robelis Despaigne defeats Josh Parisian by TKO (strikes) at 0:18 of Round 1
• Flyweight Bout: Assu Almabayev defeats CJ Vergara by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
• Women's Flyweight Bout: Joanne Wood defeats Maryna Moroz by split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)