UFC Vegas 71: Yan vs. Dvalishvili Odds, Schedule, Predictions

Alex BallentineMarch 11, 2023

UFC Vegas 71: Yan vs. Dvalishvili Odds, Schedule, Predictions

0 of 4

    LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - MARCH 10: (L-R) Opponents Petr Yan of Russia and Merab Dvalishvili of Georgia face off during the UFC Fight Night weigh-in at UFC APEX on March 10, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
    Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

    Bad blood will boil over in the UFC Vegas 71 main event between Petr Yan and Merab Dvalishvili. The two bantamweights are set to headline the latest offering from the UFC's APEX Facility after a heated build-up to the fight.

    The fighters' disdain for one another has been evident in pre-fight media appearances. That came to a little bit of a head when Yan shoved Dvalishvili at the weigh-ins.

    The two will certainly be fired up to fight one another, and the winner is going to be right in the thick of things in the 135-pound division.

    The co-main event features a heavyweight bout between Alexandr Romanov and Alexander Volkov. It's going to offer a real insight into how well Romanov has adjusted after his first career loss last time out.

    Here's a look at the complete card, along with betting odds and a closer look at the biggest fights of the night.

Fight Card, Schedule and Odds

1 of 4

    Alexandr Romanov (right) will fight in the co-main event.
    Alexandr Romanov (right) will fight in the co-main event.Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC

    Main Card (ESPN+, 6 p.m. ET)

    • Petr Yan -255 (bet $255 to win $100) vs. Merab Dvalishvili +215 (bet $100 to win $215)
    • Alexandr Romanov -150 vs. Alexander Volkov +130
    • Nikita Krylov -165 vs. Ryan Spann +140
    • Jonathan Martinez +185 vs. Said Nurmagomedov -215
    • Vitor Petrino -105 vs. Anton Turkalj -115

    Prelims (ESPN+, 3 p.m. ET)

    • Lukasz Brzeski +205 vs. Karl Williams -245
    • Raphael Assunção +115 vs. Davey Grant -135
    • Sedriques Dumas -210 vs. Josh Fremd +180
    • Mario Bautista -950 vs. Guido Cannetti +650
    • Tony Gravely +120 vs. Victor Henry -140
    • JJ Aldrich -360 vs. Ariane Lipski +295
    • Tyson Nam +160 vs. Bruno Silva -190
    • Jared Gooden +250 vs. Carlston Harris -300

Yan vs. Dvalishvili

2 of 4

    Petr Yan
    Petr YanChris Unger/Zuffa LLC

    It's hard to count Petr Yan completely out, but there's a twinge of separation in this spot. The former bantamweight champion is now 1-3 in his last four fights.

    Granted, two of those losses came against Aljamain Sterling and the other from Sean O'Malley. He's fighting top competition. Still, it's a lot of losing for a man who was 15-1 when he won the vacant title against Jose Aldo.

    Dvalishvili, on the other hand, is still working his way up to the kind of fights that Yan has been accustomed to. He's on an eight-fight win streak, but his win against Aldo is probably the biggest win of his career to date.

    The interesting thing to watch here is going to be the clash of styles. Dvalishvili leans heavily on his wrestling and will look to force a takedown. Yan might be losing a step on the feet, but he's still great at staying upright.

    He has been able to turn back the advances of several wrestlers before Dvalishvili. As long as that remains true, his striking should be good enough to win most of the exchanges and earn favor with the judges.

    If Dvalishvili can actually get him to the ground, then we could be in for an upset.

    Prediction: Yan via decision

Romanov vs. Volkov

3 of 4

    Alexander Volkov (left) meets Alexandr Romanov (right)
    Alexander Volkov (left) meets Alexandr Romanov (right)Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

    The central question to this bout is whether Alexandr Romanov can get back to looking like a problem at heavyweight. The division of the giants is always hungry for new prospects who have what it takes to join the upper echelon of the weight class.

    Romanov looked the part heading into his last fight against Marcin Tybura. He was 5-0 in the UFC with four finishes before Tybura took a majority decision from him, handing him his first career loss.

    It's always interesting to see how a prospect responds to his or her first loss. Fighting is so reliant on confidence that one bad performance can compound into others.

    The promotion is doing Romanov no favors by immediately giving him Volkov coming off a loss. He might not have the intrigue of an up-and-comer, but we know what he is. He's a veteran with savvy striking and a good enough game to beat anyone who is not above average.

    Volkov has alternated wins and losses in each of his last five fights. But he holds a win over Tybura and just knocked out Jairzinho Rozenstruik.

    Unfortunately for Romanov, there's a chance Volkov sticks him on the end of his jab and works him for three rounds.

    Prediction: Volkov via decision

Krylov vs. Spann

4 of 4

    Nikita Krylov (left) squares up with Ryan Spann (right)
    Nikita Krylov (left) squares up with Ryan Spann (right)Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

    This bout was supposed to serve as the main event at UFC Vegas 70, but Krylov withdrew from the fight moments before the main card.

    Fortunately, the promotion wasted little time in putting the fight back together. On paper, it's going to be an electric matchup for as long as it lasts.

    Krylov has racked up 38 professional fights, and only four have ever seen the scorecards. Krylov is adept at finishing fights by knockout or submission, but he actually did show the cardio to win a decision last time out. He took a unanimous decision from another respected veteran in Volkan Oezdemir.

    That's not going to keep Spann from swinging for the fences. He fights with reckless abandon sometimes and the confidence that he's going to simply be more effective offensively than his opponent.

    With two finishers going at it, there's a good chance that both fighters are going to have their moments. But Krylov's toughness could be the deciding factor. The longer the fight goes, the more it tilts in his favor.

    Prediction: Krylov via second-round TKO


    Gambling Problem? Call (877-8-HOPENY) or text HOPENY (467369).

    If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL/IN/MI/NJ/PA/WV/WY), 1-800-NEXT STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO/NH), 888-789-7777/visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), 1-877-770-STOP (7867) (LA), visit OPGR.org (OR), call/text TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN), or 1-888-532-3500 (VA).

    Odds and lines subject to change. 21+ (18+ NH/WY). AZ/CO/CT/IL/IN/IA/LA/MI/NH/NJ/NY/OR/PA/TN/VA/WV/WY only. Eligibility restrictions apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for full terms and conditions.

X