Aljamain Sterling vs. Petr Yan 2 Odds, Prediction & Picks

UFC 273: Volkanovski vs. The Korean Zombie is the next pay-per-view event on the mixed martial arts company’s schedule. It’s set to take place Saturday, April 9 at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida. The Volkanovski vs. The Korean Zombie bout will headline the event, but before that fight, we will see the highly anticipated rematch between Aljamain Sterling and Petr Yan.

From the preliminary bouts to the main attractions, the UFC 273 card is stacked from head to toe. Having said that, a large portion of fans are looking forward to the UFC Bantamweight Championship co-main event as the current champion Aljamain Sterling (20-3-0) looks to unify his title with the interim champ Petr Yan (16-2-0).

There’s a lot to take into account before Sterling and Yan collide for the second time in the octagon next Saturday. Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the UFC 273 co-main event, from their recent history to the best bets.

Aljamain Sterling vs. Petr Yan Fight Odds (as of Saturday, April 9)

BetOnline Sportsbook

• Aljamain Sterling +360
• Petr Yan -460

Bovada Sportsbook

• Aljamain Sterling +380
• Petr Yan -500

BetUS

• Aljamain Sterling +340
• Petr Yan -480

MyBookie

• Aljamain Sterling +340
• Petr Yan -450

BetMGM

• Aljamain Sterling +360
• Petr Yan -500

Sterling Set to Make First Title Defense

Although Sterling has been impressive throughout his UFC career, some fans don’t think he’s deserving of being the bantamweight champion just yet.

Sterling won the UFC Bantamweight Championship in controversial fashion at UFC 259 back in March 2021 when he fought Yan for the first time. Yan hit Sterling with an illegal knee strike in the fourth round, causing the latter to become the first-ever fighter to win a UFC championship by disqualification.

It isn’t to say that Sterling wouldn’t have won the title one day, but Yan appeared to be on his way to victory during their clash, hence why some fans and experts have their doubts.

Sterling hasn’t fought in the octagon since then, leaving fans wondering if he’s made any improvements over the last calendar year. If not, he could be in trouble.

Nevertheless, Sterling has done well in his recent outings, winning six consecutive fights. Two of his last five victories have come by submission, so it’ll be interesting to see if he can tap Yan out for the first time in his career.

Yan Looks to Hold Gold Once Again

While being an interim champion has some prestige, it just isn’t the same as being the official bantamweight titleholder in Yan’s eyes. Fortunately, he’ll have a chance to win back his gold at UFC 273.

Aside from his UFC 259 mishap, Yan hasn’t lost a fight since March 2016, winning 11 fights since then. He’s excelled at knocking his opponents out during his time in UFC, with three of his last six victories coming via KO or TKO.

In fact, Yan actually won the UFC Bantamweight Championship in the first place by knocking out José Aldo at UFC 251 and likely would’ve come close to doing it to Sterling had it not been for the illegal knee.

Unlike Sterling, Yan has fought since the last two clashed, defeating Cory Sandhagen by unanimous decision at UFC 267 in October where he won the interim championship.

With him being the -500 favorite, the UFC 273 co-main event is clearly Yan’s to lose. With how good he looked against Sterling the first time they fought, expect him to come out of the gate hard next Saturday.

UFC 273 Betting Markets for Sterling vs. Yan

Although the standard betting odds give us an idea as to who is going to win the Sterling vs. Yan showdown, there are more markets that help paint a clearer picture.

BetOnline Sportsbook is currently listing the most likely method of victory as Yan winning by decision at +125 odds. Judging by the 29-year-old’s recent history, that makes a lot of sense.

In addition to his knockout victories, four of Yan’s eight UFC victories have come by decision. He’s also an impressive 8-1 when his fights go the distance, whereas Sterling is a slightly worse 9-2 in this scenario. Their fight made it to Round 4 the last time they met, so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see them have another lengthy battle.

At the same time, Yan also has +170 odds to win by KO/TKO on BetOnline Sportsbook, which is another distinct possibility. Sterling has been knocked out before and judging by Yan’s striking success, it could happen again.

For Sterling, his most likely method of victory is him winning either by submission or points at +850. Yan has never tapped out and hasn’t lost by decision since March 2016, so it’ll be an uphill battle for the bantamweight champion.

Sterling vs. Yan Fight Prediction

Although their first fight ended in controversial fashion, I’m fully expecting Yan to walk out as the unified UFC Bantamweight Champion at UFC 273.

Yan had Sterling’s back on the ropes in their first meeting, landing a higher percentage of significant strikes (62% vs 42%) and going a perfect 7-for-7 on takedowns while also knocking the latter down once as well. If it wasn’t for the illegal knee, Yan would likely still be the sole champion.

When it comes to the best bet, I like BetOnline Sportsbook’s market of Yan winning by KO/TKO at +170. He came close to knocking Sterling out last time and I could see it being a goal to accomplish that next Saturday. Besides, it provides a bit more value than Yan winning by decision.

UFC 273 Event Details: Location, Time & How to Watch

When and where is UFC 273?

UFC 273 will take place on Saturday, April 9, 2022, at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida.

What time does UFC 273 start?

• UFC 273 Early Prelims Start Time: 6:15 p.m. ET
• UFC 273 Prelims Start Time: 8 p.m. ET
• Start Time of UFC 273’s Main Card: 10 p.m. ET

How can I watch UFC 273?

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

Other UFC 273 Content

• UFC 273 Full Fight Card and Odds
• Alexander Volkanovski vs. The Korean Zombie Main Event Odds, Prediction & Picks