UFC 267: Yan vs. Sandhagen betting odds, preview, and pick

Petr Yan and Cory Sandhagen will clash for the interim bantamweight title in the featured undercard bout at UFC 267 on Oct. 30 in Abu Dhabi. While Yan is seen as the uncrowned king, you can’t count the unpredictable Sandhagen out.

This bout is going to be a good one, and we have the latest betting odds and pick below.

Yan staying busy ahead of Sterling rematch

The former champion was well on his way to defeating Aljamain Sterling at UFC 259, but a lapse in judgement lead to a disqualification. With Sterling dropping out due to medical reasons, Yan instead is facing another elite bantamweight who is also trying to bounce back from a loss.

Everything about Yan comes with bad intentions. He is a rare type of striker due to his high activity and heavy hands, not to mention he’s just as deadly on the ground when he gets his opponents there.

Sandhagen must bring the fight to Yan

Sandhagen saw his momentum halted after a narrow loss to T.J. Dillashaw in his last fight. Even so, Sandhagen also engages with the intent to damage, using awkwardness and explosiveness to maximize his striking offense.

Normally taller and longer than most fighters in his division, he can fight from a distance and land some devastating kicks. For a taller fighter, he fights well going backwards and can produce some bone crunching stoppages with his feats of athleticism.

Yan will preserve the Sterling rematch with a stoppage

One thing about Yan’s striking is that he often finds his mark and sends his opponents to the canvas. While Sandhagen is tall and rangy, giving Yan the opportunity to come forward and engage isn’t a good idea.

Sandhagen doesn’t have the size to force Yan backwards, and he’ll show plenty of heart trying to trade shots with him in the middle of the octagon. Yan is the better overall fighter and could start to overwhelm Sandhagen as early as the second round. Once Sandhagen goes down, and he will, Yan might keep him there and knock him out.

Sandhagen’s recklessness can lead to unexpected bursts of offense, but it won’t work against a killer like Yan. Once Yan starts outworking him, Sandhagen will try to flip the script, leaving himself vulnerable for a shot he won’t see. The call here is Yan winning big, stopping Sandhagen in the fourth round of a spirited fight.

UFC 267 pick: Yan