Yan vs. O’Malley UFC 280 Betting: Back Yan Going the Distance to Beat O’Malley

The stars of UFC are taking over the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates this weekend for UFC 280. The upcoming pay-per-view card is littered with exciting matchups, including a bantamweight showdown between Petr Yan (16-3) and Sean O’Malley (15-1, 1NC).

PETR YAN SHOVED SEAN O'MALLEY 🚨 #UFC280 pic.twitter.com/ebtkYUdaLL

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) October 20, 2022

These two men are two of the best bantamweights that UFC has to offer. Yan currently ranks as the No. 1 fighter in the division, whereas O’Malley sits at No. 11, looking to crack the top 10 with a solid showing. A victory here would bring either man one step closer to a title shot.

As usual, the UFC 280 main event produces several opportunities to get in on some betting action. Here is a look at the latest Yan vs O’Malley odds from various sportsbooks before the duo clash this weekend.

UFC 280: Yan vs Dillashaw Fight Odds (as of Thursday, October 20)

Odds are via our top reviewed and recommended sportsbooks.

BetOnline Sportsbook

• Petr Yan -310
• Sean O’Malley +230

Bovada Sportsbook

• Petr Yan -270
• Sean O’Malley +220

BetUS

• Petr Yan -286
• Sean O’Malley +225

BetMGM

• Petr Yan -275
• Sean O’Malley +220

Sportsbooks Favor Yan Over O’Malley at UFC 280

All four highlighted sportsbooks are in unanimous agreement that Yan should be victorious at UFC 280. Each oddsmaker sits around the same odds, however, BetOnline gives him his best chances of winning at -310.

Those -310 odds translate to an implied probability of 75.6%, solidifying Yan as the clear-cut favorite against his up-and-coming opponent.

It shouldn’t be much of a surprise to see Yan as the one-sided favorite. The former UFC Bantamweight Champion has only lost twice since joining the company in 2018. Both of those losses game in the last 1.5 years and both were to the current bantamweight champion, Aljamain Sterling.

Having said that, the first loss came when Yan hit Sterling with an illegal knee at UFC 259. The maneuver caused an immediate disqualification, causing Sterling to become the new champion.

Yan then got a rematch for the gold at UFC 273 earlier this year. While he tried his best to become champion again, Yan couldn’t do it, ultimately losing to Sterling by split decision. Now, he must decisively beat O’Malley to improve his stock once again.

Speaking of O’Malley, he’s had quite the solid UFC run too. He went 8-1 since appearing on Dana White's Contender Series 2 before causing a no-contest in his last bout after Pedro Munhoz was accidentally poked in the eye and could no longer continue the fight.

Nevertheless, O’Malley was on a roll before that incident, rattling off five KO/TKO victories in the previous six fights. He earned ‘Performance of the Night’ honors multiple times, proving that the 27-year-old might develop into something special.

This pay-per-view will be O’Malley’s chance to prove his worth. He hasn’t really faced anyone on the former bantamweight champion’s level yet, so this will be a test to see if he can hang with the best that the division has to offer.

UFC 280 Betting Markets & Trends for Yan vs O’Malley

Sportsbooks like BetOnline offer more UFC 280 markets than just straight-up betting. Here’s a look at some of the more intriguing betting options from Yan and O’Malley’s upcoming scrap.

BetOnline currently favors Yan to win the fight by decision at -105 odds. Ten of his 19 all-time fights have gone the distance and he’s emerged the victor in eight of those outings. Before losing to Sterling, the last time Yan lost by decision was in March 2016.

As for O’Malley, his best method of victory is actually tied between winning by decision and KO/TKO at +500. He has five knockout wins in his last seven outings, but also has a TKO loss in there. He’s also 3-0 when his fights go the distance.

Speaking of which, BetOnline favors that the fight will go the distance at -192 odds.

If you’re looking to get more value out of a bet, look at the method & round combo markets. As it stands, Yan is favored to win the fight by knocking O’Malley out in Round 3 at +1000 odds.

Yan vs O’Malley UFC 280 Fight Prediction

This is a fight between two fighters who could be mainstays in the bantamweight division for years to come. Keeping that in mind, I’m backing Yan to win the fight due to his experience of already having been on top. O’Malley is a terrific fighter, but Yan is slightly better and can definitely handle a longer fight if that’s where it’s heading.

As for the best bet, I’m willing to take Yan winning by decision at -105 odds. Again, a longer fight favors him, as his average fight time is 16:12, whereas O’Malley’s is 8:25.

UFC 280 Event Details

When is UFC 280?

UFC 280 will take place on Saturday, Oct. 22, 2022.

Where is UFC 280?

UFC 280 will take place at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

What time does UFC 280 start?

• UFC 280 Prelims Start Time: 10 a.m. ET
• Start Time of UFC 280’s Main Card: 2 p.m. ET

How can I watch UFC 280?

The UFC 280 prelims will be available on both ESPNEWS and ESPN+, and the main card will be available via pay-per-view (which can be ordered through the ESPN+ app).

Other UFC 280 Stories on Betting News

• Oliveira vs. Makhachev UFC 280 Betting: Who Will Win the Vacant Light Heavyweight Championship?