The UFC 292 headliner in Boston features a bantamweight title fight between Aljamain Sterling and Sean O'Malley. Sterling remains a big favorite largely due to his grappling and wrestling threat. However, O'Malley is always in with a chance thanks to his ability to finish a fight by knockout. Will Sterling dominate him on the ground and potentially get a finish by knockout or submission? Or is it written in the stars that O'Malley will become UFC champion with a highlight-reel knockout?
Despite the betting odds, many are split on who will win on Saturday night. And so, here's a look at some of the most prominent MMA names and who they're predicting to win between Aljamain Sterling and Sean O'Malley at UFC 292.
Which fighters are predicting Aljamain Sterling to win?
Many in the MMA world are unsurprisingly picking Sterling to emerge victorious and defend his title for the fourth time and that includes names such as Alexander Volkanovski, Henry Cejudo and TJ Dillashaw among others. The common denominator is his grappling ability.
UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski
“I’m leaning towards Aljamain because I just think that that wrestling and that control and is gonna eventually get there,” Volkanovski explained. “… I feel like it could definitely be a TKO for Sean O’Malley because his striking is that good, but I will lean towards Aljamain, I think he has got a more safer way to victory.”
Former UFC flyweight and bantamweight champion Henry Cejudo
“Yeah [Sterling will get past O’Malley easily], O’Malley doesn’t have grappling. If O’Malley’s able to put it on his feet, but no. I do believe Aljamain Sterling is going to press him and get him against the cage. And, you know if he can take me down, then he can take any of those guys down.
“So, Sean’s going to be in trouble. You know Sean just relies on his striking, I’m sure he works on his jiu-jitsu but in MMA it’s just different. I do believe that Sterling is going to get on top of him and just hurt him.”
UFC bantamweight contender Cory Sandhagen
“I think Sterling's going to win that one. Sterling is really good at staying this much ahead and I think that's what he tries to do and it's a smart way of fighting. I do think it's going to be a fairly close one but I think Sterling is really good at keeping track of winning.”
“Sterling, very good wrestling, grappling background. Sean O’Malley, long reach, precision, knockout power. So it’s definitely a fight that it’s going to be really good for the bantamweight division. I think Sterling [wins].”
Former UFC bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw
“I underestimated O’Malley when he fought [Petr] Yan and things like that, but what Sterling is so good at is O’Malley’s biggest weakness. I’m rooting for O’Malley just because he’s a good character for the sport, he’s great for the weight class. I’ve interacted with him actually, I like the guy, but Sterling is just too good. His pressure is going to be there to get the takedown, he’s for sure going to get the takedown, and he’s going to get the back. He’ll end up submitting him.”
UFC welterweight contender
“I gotta go with my buddy Aljamain. I think his wrestling credentials are going to help him win this fight. He's got a long opponent in O'Malley but I think he can close that gap.”
Former UFC middleweight Darren Till
“Funkmaster gonna finish O’Malley in the 1st round.”
Former UFC heavyweight Brendan Schaub
“I think if ‘Sugar' brings his A-game, Aljo brings his A-game, Aljo's gonna win that fight nine times out of ten. Because of the way the rules are set up, because of the way the sport is set up, a great grappler will usually always beat a good striker if the striker is not even close to the same level of grappling. It's just the way it goes 'cause the grappling dictates where the fight goes. There's nothing ‘Sugar' can do.”
Which fighters are predicting Sean O'Malley to win?
It seems like an overwhelming majority of fighters are going with the champion defending his crown. In fact, such is the belief that Sterling will win that there is only one major fighter actually picking “Sugar” to outright come out on top.
UFC bantamweight Cameron Saaiman
“Sean gets it done. … I do think he finishes him, I do think Sean O'Malley has very dynamic striking and super underrated grappling and I do think he'll get it done.”
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