UFC 267: Yan vs. Sandhagen First Look (Archive)
The UFC returns to pay-per-view for one of the most stacked UFC events of the year. Two Championship fights will close out the main card, and it’s the bantamweight division who’ll kick-off the championship double-header. Read on for our complete betting guide taking a first look at Petr Yan and Cory Sandhagen, including the updated UFC odds and our free expert UFC betting picks, predictions, and analysis.
Petr Yan vs. Cory Sandhagen
UFC Interim Bantamweight Championship Co-Main Event
Saturday, October 30, 2021 – 01:00 PM EDT at Etihad Arena
Petr Yan
- Pro MMA Record: (15-2-0) (7 KOs, 1 Submission)
- Age: 28
- Height: 5’7"
- Reach: 67.0"
- Training Out Of – Tiger Muay Thai, ATT, & RCC Academy
- Origin Fighting Style: Boxing
Initially taking up Taekwondo aged 10, it was an eventual love for boxing that drove the Russian into professional mixed martial arts. In saying that, we cannot ignore the extremely diverse skill set, he provides in the cage.
Following the illegal knee that subsequently cost Petr Yan his bantamweight championship, we’re fortunate enough to witness the Russian standout martial artist compete for gold once again. Yan will step into the octagon to compete for the interim title with the current bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling side-lined (or hiding from the inevitable).
Outside of Yan’s UFC 259 disqualification versus Sterling, he’d remained undefeated and pretty much untested since joining the promotion. As a master of sport in boxing, you don’t have to guess where his impressive striking offense stems from.
Petr Yan MMA Accomplishments
⦁ UFC Bantamweight Champion (One time)
⦁ UFC Performance of the Night (One time) vs. Uriah Faber
⦁ UFC Fight of the Night (One time) vs. Jin Soo Son
⦁ ACB Bantamweight Champion (One time, one defense)
⦁ ACB Bantamweight Grand Prix Champion (2015)
Petr Yan Best Available Odds: -225 at BetOnline (visit our BetOnline Review)
Cory Sandhagen
- Pro MMA Record: (14-3-0) (6 KOs, 3 Submissions)
- Age: 29
- Height: 5’11"
- Reach: 70.0"
- Training Out Of: Elevation Fight Team
- Origin Fighting Style: Kickboxing
A mere two months after his fight of the night-worthy battle with former champion TJ Dillashaw, Cory Sandhagen is stepping up on short notice to compete for the interim bantamweight strap. And despite losing to a split decision, many critics believed that Sandhagen could’ve been handed the victory.
A background in kickboxing becomes evident once you witness the American-born martial artists compete in the octagon. As a former WKA world champion, Sandhagen decided that professional mixed martial arts would become his new venture.
When eventually arriving in the UFC after consecutive knockout victories for the LFA promotion, Sandhagen’s highlight reel continues with three back-to-back stoppages. And, to this day, he owns one of the most impressive flying knee knockout wins in MMA history over the legend Frankie Edgar.
Cory Sandhagen MMA Accomplishments
⦁ UFC Performance of the Night (Two times) vs. Frankie Edgar and Marlon Moraes
⦁ UFC Fight of the Night (One time) vs. Iuri Alcantara
Cory Sandhagen Best Available Odds: +190 at BetOnline
Yan Fight Style & How Can Yan Beat Sandhagen?
Yan moves forward with intent to destroy the opposition, an extremely intimidating threat to most bantamweights he’s yet to have been outperformed in a UFC cage.
The most impressive attribute of Yan would be his fight intelligence, an ability to adapt while on the job is one of the best inside the entire promotion. If you fail to provide alternative game plans for Yan, he will read the attack and quickly remove your offense whilst mitigating the damage coming at him.
Sandhagen Fight Style & How Can Sandhagen Beat Yan?
Sandhagen fights behind a beautiful set of kickboxing skills; with key fundamentals in his striking offense, you’ll also see him throw some of the wildest strikes like wheel kicks, flying knees, and spin kicks.
Lateral movement, incredible feints, often switching stances, it’s hard to discredit Sandhagen. However, he’ll need more than kickboxing combinations to outsmart his opponent this weekend.
Betting Picks
The available odds at Bookmakers Review opened with the former champion as the considerable favorite, and this stance is difficult to argue.
Across a twenty-five-minute fight, we’re going to see Yan’s ability to adapt, as previously mentioned, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Sandhagen won a round or two whilst Yan is reading the oncoming attacks.
Defense and intelligence will be the successor this weekend, and this is where Petr Yan excels.
With that said, I don’t anticipate we’ll see a finish within the 5-rounds, and the available price on predicting this contest to exceed 4 and a ½ rounds is a greater price than backing Yan. Also, we know how these MMA judges’ can be; this approach additionally removes the chance of close split decision losing wager.
UFC Pick: Over 4 and a ½ Rounds (-135) at BetOnline
*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.