UFC 299 promises to be one of the most exciting cards of the year featuring exciting debuts and a blockbuster title fight this weekend.
Dana White may have lined up a mega card for UFC 300 next month, but its precursor has gone under the radar for the talent on show.
O’Malley wants to become a bigger star than Conor McGregorCredit: Getty
The Miami pay-per-view is being headlined by UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley in the first title defence of his new belt.
‘Suga’ only captured the strap by knocking out Aljamain Sterling inside two rounds at UFC 292 in August.
But his first outing as champion will be the toughest of his career as he rematches Marlon ‘Chito’ Vera.
O’Malley was handed his only defeat during his first meeting with Vera at UFC 252 in August 2020.
The 29-year-old, who boasts a 17-1 record, suffered a first-round TKO loss having suffered an earlier leg injury.
Elsewhere on the UFC 299 card, Conor McGregor‘s conqueror Dustin Poirier makes his return to the cage against Benoit Saint-Denis.
The former interim Lightweight champion has not fought in the Octagon since losing to Justin Gaethje last July for the BMF belt.
The 35-year-old, who has remarkably never lost back-to-back fights in his career, was on the wrong end of a head kick knockout.
Poirier’s last UFC fight ended in disasterCredit: Getty
Saint-Denis is 5-1 since joining the UFC and is a rising contender in the lightweight division.
Michael ‘Venom’ Page will also be making his highly-anticipated UFC debut having spent the majority of his MMA career with rival promotion Bellator.
MVP is set for his Octagon debut against Kevin Holland, who saw his two-fight win streak snapped by Jack Della Maddalena in September.
Australia’s Della Maddalena is also competing on this card as he battles Gilbert Burns, with Petr Yan taking on Song Yadong.
Tom Aspinall’s former opponent Curtis Blaydes is also in action against Jailton Almeida.
And in the women’s flyweight division, it’s an all American clash as Katlyn Cerminara takes on Maycee Barber.
2-0 boxer Michael ‘Venom’ Page will be making his UFC debutCredit: GettyUFC 299: Fight card
Subject to change
Main card
- MAIN EVENT: Sean O’Malley vs. Marlon Vera – for UFC Bantamweight title
- Dustin Poirier vs. Benoit Saint Denis
- Michael Page vs. Kevin Holland
- Gilbert Burns vs. Jack Della Maddalena
- Petr Yan vs. Song Yadong
Preliminary card
- Curtis Blaydes vs. Jailton Almeida
- Katlyn Cerminara vs. Maycee Barber
- Mateusz Gamrot vs. Rafael dos Anjos
- Pedro Munhoz vs. Kyler Phillips
Early preliminary card
- Philipe Lins vs. Ion Cutelaba
- Michel Pereira vs. Michal Oleksiejczuk
- Robelis Despaigne vs. Josh Parisian
- CJ Vergara vs. Assu Almabayev
- Joanne Wood vs. Maryna Moroz
O’Malley is one of the UFC’s biggest starsCredit: GettyUFC 299: What has been said?
“If I make it feel like anything else, that’s going to make me unsure about what’s going to happen, or unsure about myself,” Page said.
“I’m hoping I go in there and it feels like home, that it just feels normal and then I kind of perform the way I know I can perform here at the UFC.”
Page added to UFC.com: “(The UFC) isn’t like, ‘we’re going to warm you up and give you someone that’s not rated or new to the game’.
“Holland is the perfect guy, he’s game, he is tough as nails, entertaining and I’m a fan of him, as well. I always love to take myself to one side and just be a fan of the sport. There are certain guys that I just watch their fights and they’ve had some epic fights and I’m a fan of him from that perspective.”