Sterling vs Yan fight preview, best bets & predictions – UFC 273

The long-awaited rematch between Aljamain Sterling and Petr Yan is set to take place this Saturday night in the co-main event of UFC 273. The UFC Bantamweight Championship will be on the line in this fight leading into the card’s main event of Alexander Volkanovski vs “The Korean Zombie” Jung Chan-sung.

Sterling vs Yan UFC form & results

Aljamain Sterling (20-3-0) has not fought since winning the UFC Bantamweight Championship against Petr Yan via disqualification at UFC 259 in March of 2021. Since going 2-3 in a slump that spanned from mid 2016 through late 2017, Sterling is 6-0-0 over his last six fights with two submission victories over that stretch. Sterling defeated Cory Sandhagen with a first-round submission at UFC 250 prior to his title fight against Yan.

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Petr Yan (16-2-0) had a 10-fight winning streak snapped in his shocking loss to Sterling at UFC 259. Yan was in total control of the fight before he delivered an illegal knee in the fourth round that forced the referee to call the fight and award the belt to Sterling. The former champion bounced back with a decision win over Sandhagen in the Fight of the Night at UFC 267, winning the interim bantamweight title and setting up this rematch.

Sterling vs Yan betting predictions

Aljamain Sterling had some moments in the last fight between these two bantamweights. But once Petr Yan got Sterling’s timing down late in the first round he took over the fight, routinely stuffing Sterling’s takedown attempts and controlling the bout with his striking. That’s why the betting odds at Bovada are where they are.

Sterling is an excellent fighter that is well-rounded as both a striker and a grappler. The problem is that Yan is also outstanding in all facets of the game, and he clearly had the upper hand after Sterling’s hot start at UFC 259. It’s difficult to make a strong case that things are going to be different this time around, especially considering that Sterling hasn’t fought since then. Yan won’t have any ring rust and already knows he has a game plan to defeat Sterling as he was executing it perfectly before slipping up with the illegal knee. Unless Sterling gets bailed out with another fluke or perhaps a perfectly timed submission maneuver to steal it, Yan likely walks out of UFC 273 as the bantamweight champion.

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