Who will leave Miami as UFC bantamweight champion when Sean O’Malley defends his title against Marlon Vera at UFC 299?
O’Malley competes in his first title defense since beating Aljamain Sterling for the belt in August. He lost against Vera in 2020 but went 5-0 with one no-contest after. An eye poke rendered Pedro Munhoz unable to continue their fight, while Vera beat Munhoz via decision in his last contest.
“Suga” doesn’t count the first fight against Vera as a loss and believes his path to gold holds more weight than Vera’s.
"There’s guys deserving. Cory, Merab [Dvalishvili]. You could argue those guys deserve a title fight over ‘Chito’… I think ‘Chito’s’ a cold-blooded killer,” O’Malley told ESPN via MMA Fighting. “I don’t think it’s gonna phase him that he’s being gifted this title shot. Do I think he knows that? Yeah. He knows he didn’t go out there — he didn’t even finish Pedro. I beat Pedro in two rounds. So, there’s no way he’s coming off this like, ‘I earned this title fight.’ He knows he’s getting this title fight because I’m champ.”
WATCH: UFC 299: Sean O'Malley vs. Marlon Vera 2, exclusively on ESPN+
Vera had a four-fight win streak, which was snapped against Cory Sandhagen in March 2023, forcing him to head back to the drawing board. He returned to the spotlight with a win against Munhoz, landing several significant strikes. Now he looks to go 2-0 against O'Malley.
Here's all you need to know about accessing the ESPN+ app for free, and if there are any unique deals to watch UFC 299.
How to watch ESPN+ for free
The only way to watch ESPN+ is by paying for a subscription online or the ESPN+ app.
For about $14 per month, you can sign up for the Disney Bundle, which includes ESPN+, Disney+, and basic Hulu.
Does ESPN+ have a free trial?
There is no free trial for ESPN+. However, you can get a deal via a run offer with a network service plan like Verizon.
Verizon offers one promotional subscription per eligible mobile account the Disney Bundle (a $18.99/month value). It also is giving a free Disney Bundle subscription with selected Unlimited plans for new and existing customers.
Verizon users can enroll in the Disney Bundle promotional subscription through the Service & Perks page.
Per Verizon: "If you have an existing subscription to the Disney Bundle billed by Disney, a Verizon subscription will immediately replace any portions of your existing subscription that are billed directly through Disney."
MORE: How to bet on the entire UFC 299 fight card
Are there any ESPN+, UFC 299 deals?
The UFC 299 main card is available via pay-per-view on ESPN+, which also requires a subscription. The PPV price for UFC 299 is $79.99 for current subscribers. New subscribers can pay a bundle price of $134.98 for the UFC 299 pay-per-view and an ESPN+ annual subscription, which offers savings of more than 30 percent.
In the UK, the main card is on TNT Sports Box Office and will cost £19.99.
WATCH: UFC 299: Sean O'Malley vs. Marlon Vera 2, exclusively on ESPN+
| Product | Prices |
|---|---|
| ESPN+ Monthly Subscription | $10.99/mo |
| ESPN+ Annual Subscription | $109.99/yr |
| The Disney Bundle w/Hulu Ad-Supported | $14.99/mo |
| The Disney Bundle w/Hulu No-Ads | $24.99/mo |
| UFC PPV Standalone | $79.99 each |
| UFC PPV Package (UFC PPV & ESPN+ Annual) | $134.98, then $109.99/year |
| UFC PPV & The Disney Bundle |
$79.99, then $14.99/mo |
Click here to learn about the different pricing and bundling options with the ESPN+ platform.
What time is UFC 299: Sean O'Malley vs. Marlon Vera 2 on today?
- Time: 10 p.m. ET | 9 p.m. CT | 7 p.m. PT
The early prelims start at 6 p.m. ET, with the prelims at 8 p.m. ET. The main card is at 10 p.m. ET. O'Malley and Vera should make their way to the octagon around 12:15 a.m. ET, depending on how long the undercard fights last.
| Region | Date | Early Prelims Start Time | Prelims Start Time | Main Card Start Time | Main Event Ring Walks (approx.) |
| USA and Canada (ET) | Saturday, March 9 | 6 p.m. ET | 8 p.m. ET | 10 p.m. ET | 12:15 a.m. ET |
| USA and Canada (PT) | Saturday, March 9 | 3 p.m. PT | 5 p.m. PT | 7 p.m. PT | 9:15 p.m. PT |
| UK and Ireland | Sunday, March 10 | 11 p.m. GMT | 1 a.m. GMT | 3 a.m. GMT | 5:15 a.m. GMT |
| Australia | Sunday, March 10 | 10 a.m. AEDT | 12 p.m. AEDT | 2 p.m. AEDT | 4:15 p.m. AEDT |
MORE: Ranked: The 25 best MMA fighters under the age of 25
UFC 299: Sean O'Malley vs. Marlon Vera 2 live stream, TV channel
| Country | Date | Channel + Live Stream (main card) |
| United States | Saturday, March 9 | ESPN+, ESPN PPV |
| Canada | Saturday, March 9 | BELL, Rogers, Shaw, SaskTel, Videotron, Telus, Eastlink, UFC PPV on UFC Fight Pass |
| United Kingdom | Sunday, March 10 | TNT Sports, TNT Sports Box Office |
| Australia | Sunday, March 10 | Main Event, Kayo Sports, Fetch TV, UFC PPV on UFC Fight Pass |
UFC 299 fight card
Main Card
- Sean O'Malley (c) vs. Marlon Vera 2 for the UFC bantamweight title
- Dustin Poirier vs. Benoit Saint Denis; Lightweights
- Kevin Holland vs. Michael "Venom" Page; Welterweights
- Gilbert Burns vs. Jack Della Maddalena; Welterweights
- Petr Yan vs. Song Yadong; Bantamweights
Prelims
- Curtis Blaydes vs. Jailton Almeida; Heavyweights
- Katlyn Chookagian vs. Maycee Barber; Flyweights
- Mateusz Gamrot vs. Rafael dos Anjos; Lightweights
- Pedro Munhoz vs. Kyler Phillips; Bantamweights
Early Prelims
- Ion Cuțelaba vs. Philipe Lins; Light Heavyweights
- Michel Pereira vs. Michal Oleksiejczuk; Middleweights
- Robelis Despaigne vs. Josh Parisian; Heavyweights
- C.J. Vergara vs. Assu Almabayev; Flyweights
- Joanne Wood vs. Maryna Moroz; Flyweights