Henry Cejudo shares prediction for newly announced Sean O’Malley vs. Marlon Vera title fight at UFC 299

Henry Cejudo is sharing his prediction for the newly announced Sean O’Malley vs. Marlon Vera title fight at UFC 299.

UFC 299 will take place on Saturday, March 9, 2024, at a yet to be disclosed location. Sean O’Malley (17-1 MMA) will defend his bantamweight title in a rematch with Marlon Vera (23-8 MMA).

The two previously met in August of 2020 at UFC 252, where it was Vera defeating O’Malley by TKO and in the process handing ‘Suga’ his first and only loss in the Octagon.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Henry Cejudo made the following prediction for the upcoming rematch between O’Malley and Vera:

“‘Chito’ Vera beats him just based on endurance. There’s another problematic thing that Sean is not accustomed to, is taller guys. It’s not like ‘Chito’s’ a giant either, but he’s about (5-foot-8), 5-9, while Sean O’Malley is 5-11.”

“When you start getting people at the same height and they fought before, one of them already has seen him literally break. You can take him there again. If ‘Chito’ Vera can really up his defense and be able to just keep your hands up, there’s nothing that he can do to your legs. The only thing that he can really do, ‘Chito,’ is right here – your face or your body.”

Turning his attention to Sean O’Malley, Henry Cejudo continued (h/t MMAJunkie):

“A guy like Sean O’Malley hasn’t gone through the trenches. Hasn’t really gone through the who’s who. Yeah, he got a controversial win, which still, I don’t believe he beat Yan and then he’s got one that he happened to throw a right hand and he caught Aljamain Sterling.”

O’Malley does indeed have wins over former champions Petr Yan and Aljamain Sterling, but apparently that isn’t influencing Cejudo’s view that ‘Chito’ has the potential to be the victor and take the belt from O’Malley.

Concluding, Henry Cejudo enforced that ‘Chito‘ is his man coming into the fight with O’Malley:

“Was it an early stoppage? Yeah, I’m not here to complain. What I’m saying is he hasn’t been through the trenches against really tough guys, and I do believe that ‘Chito,’ if he can just do the same game plan as he did his last fight and take out his legs, it’ll be the exact same outcome.”

Will you be watching UFC 299? Do you believe Vera can defeat O’Malley for a second time?

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