Here are Guy Giles' best UFC picks for Aljamain Sterling vs Petr Yan at UFC 273 in Jacksonville. Visit the Betway Insider for picks on all the biggest fights.

Sterling v Yan odds

One of the UFC’s longest-running grudges will take centre stage in Jacksonville on Saturday as bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling defends his belt in a rematch against interim champ Petr Yan.

Yan originally won the vacant belt in July 2020 by knocking out Jose Aldo, and was on course for the win in his first defence against Sterling before an illegal knee ended the fight and saw the belt change hands.

There is no doubt that the fight-ending strike was an illegal one, but Yan was so dominant at that point that it always felt like a hollow victory for Sterling.

He clearly doesn’t see it that way, but the fact he is yet to defend his belt more than a year later hasn’t helped his ‘undisputed’ status, particularly when Yan has since claimed the interim title with a win over Corey Sandhagen.

Unfortunately for the champ, he isn’t favoured in the odds either, with Sterling a underdog to retain his belt.

Yan, widely seen as the best fighter in the division, is the clear favourite.

Sterling v Yan prediction

Sterling found some joy in the early exchanges of their first fight as he poured on the volume and landed with some kicks and knees from the outside.

Yan was able to weather the storm, though, and once Sterling began to tire, the Russian was able to find a home for his powerful, efficient striking.

He was well on the way to victory – potentially via stoppage – and only has himself to blame for the clearly illegal knee that followed in round four.

One surprising aspect of the fight was the success that Yan found in the grappling exchanges as he landed seven takedowns against a submission artist in Sterling.

He also stuffed 16 of 17 takedown attempts from the ‘Funk Master’, whose best path to victory is on the mat.

Yan clearly holds the edge in every aspect, and will be desperate to avenge his only loss in the UFC.

It’s hard to see how Sterling hangs with ‘No Mercy’ for five rounds, so backing the stoppage in any form looks a good way to go.

Yan to win by KO, TKO, DQ or submission

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