Best bets and analysis for UFC 273, headlined by betting favorite Alexander Volkanovski against “The Korean Zombie” Chan Sung Jung.
UFC returns to Jacksonville, Fla., where the promotion held the first major indoor sporting event with a full crowd since the start of the pandemic with UFC 261 in April 2021. The UFC 273 card is a little more stacked than that card, though.
In the main event, featherweight champ Alexander Volkanovski (-800) is the biggest favorite on the card and aims to extend his UFC undefeated streak to 11.
The cards features a fight that would be the main event on others card when Khazmat Chimaev steps into the Octagon with Gilbert Burns
The co-main event for the bantamweight title is sure to be violent as both Aljamain Sterling and Petr Yan have made their hatred for one another quite clear. Sterling is lookingto silence the doubters that say he is only the champ because of an illegal knee landed by Yan in a fight where the Funkmaster was being dominated late.
UFC 273
Date: April 9, 2022 | 4 p.m. ET
Location: VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena | Jacksonville, Fla.
Early Prelims: 6 p.m. ET
Julio Arce (-188) vs Daniel Santos (+155)
Piera Rodriguez (-118) vs Kay Hansen (+100)
Anthony Hernandez (-188) vs Josh Fremd (+155)
Aleksei Oleinik (-110) vs Jared Madera (-110)
Prelims: 8 p.m. ET
Mickey Gall (+155) vs Mike Mallott (-188)
Aspen Ladd (+155) vs Raquel Pennington (-188)
Jairzinho Rozenstruik (-154) vs Marcin Tybura (+130)
Ian Garry (-350) vs Darian Weeks (+275)
Main Card: 10 p.m. ET
Vinc Pichel (-125) vs Mark Madsen (+105)
Mackenzie Dern (-118) vs Tecia Torres (+100)
Gilbert Burns (+375) vs Khamzat Chimaev (-500)
Aljamain Sterling (+350) vs Petr Yan (-450)
Alexander Volkanovski (-800) vs The Korean Zombie (+550)
Here are our staff’s best bets for this card:
Check the Latest Odds and Lines at SI Sportsbook
Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
SI Video’s Doug Vazquez
While I am extremely excited to see this card, I am taking a cautious approach to where I will put my money. The oddsmakers at SI Sportsbook have set the lines for these fights so overwhelmingly toward the favorites, that I will be firing a three-leg parlay, putting my faith that the book has these ones right. While the last three fights of the card will all be entertaining and violent, I do think that the favorites prevail. In the co-main event, with the contrasting styles of both fighters, I could very well see Sterling vs. Yan going to the scorecards. Both have insane cardio and I think this one ends with a DEC for Yan.
BETS: Three-leg parlay: Chimaev, Yan, Volkanovski (-154); Yan via DEC (+125)
SI.com’s Robin Lundberg:
I’m really looking forward to seeing if Khamzat Chimaev can live up to the hype when he faces his toughest test so far against Gilbert Burns. This is an example where I won’t go against the oddsmakers. It seems nuts that Burns would be such a heavy dog despite being 7-1 since 2018 with the lone loss coming against Kamaru Usman. However, even though Chimaev is stepping up in competition, the line tells me he is next in line as one of UFC’s biggest stars. There isn’t much value in betting him straight up so I’d consider picking a round or finish method to go with him winning.
BET: Chimaev via KO (+100)
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SI MMA’s Justin Barrasso:
UFC 273 represents redemption for Aljamain Sterling.Sterling is a massive underdog against Petr Yan in their bantamweight title bout. This is a stark change from a year ago in their first encounter, one that Yan dominated but lost due to an outrageously unsafe, intentional knee to Sterling’s hands. The odds are off for this rematch. Saturday night is Sterling’s chance to finally seize what belongs to him.
BET: Sterling via DEC (+700)
SI Video’s Julian Pinto:
In the main event of UFC 273, I have Alexander Volkanovski retaining his title. I think Volkanovski will have an easy time managing distance against the often flat-footed Korean Zombie. This will make it easy to secure the takedown. It will be interesting to see how Chang Sung Jung’s guard does against the ground and pound heavy Volkanovski. But at the end of the day, I see Volkanovski continuing his unbeaten run in the UFC.
BET: Volkanovski via KO/TKO (+200)
Check the Latest Odds at SI Sportsbook
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