Pro Fighters Split On Yan vs. Dvalishvili 3

Pro fighters are split on Saturday's UFC 333 bantamweight title fight between Petr Yan and Merab Dvalishvili, with opinions tilting narrowly toward the champion retaining his belt in their trilogy bout in Abu Dhabi.

Yan enters as a -158 favorite to defend against Dvalishvili, the former champion who is a +124 underdog, according to BJ Penn. The co-main event marks the rubber match between the two 135-pounders after Yan captured the title from Dvalishvili in their second meeting.

Predictions Hinge On Yan's Game Plan, Dvalishvili's Rest

Four fighters sided with Yan in predictions gathered by BJ Penn, including UFC featherweight Kai Kamaka, who expects a similar performance to the second fight. "Yan showed he can keep it standing in the last fight, and on the feet, he is so technical," Kamaka said. UFC lightweight Kyle Nelson agreed that the previous bout was telling and believes Yan figured out his opponent's approach.

Three fighters backed Dvalishvili to reclaim the title, with multiple pros citing the former champion's grueling schedule last year as a factor in his loss. UFC bantamweight John Castaneda pointed to the time off helping Dvalishvili's body recover, while Dan Ige predicted the challenger would benefit from being less overworked this time around. UFC heavyweight/" class="internal-link text-bone underline decoration-ash/30 hover:decoration-gold underline-offset-2">light heavyweight Modestas Bukauskas called it a toss-up but leaned toward Dvalishvili edging a close decision.

UFC 333 takes place Saturday in the United Arab Emirates with Alexander Volkanovski defending the featherweight title against Movsar Evloev in the main event.

Reported via:

• BJPenn — UFC 333 | Pro fighters make their picks for Petr Yan vs. Merab Dvalishvili 3 title fight