Petr Yan is hoping his resurgence will continue on July 26 when he locks horns with Marcus McGhee. Last year, Yan ended his three-fight skid and is now looking for a third win in a row. It won’t be easy, as his UFC Abu Dhabi opponent is in great shape – McGhee is looking for his seventh straight win.
Nevertheless, bookmakers still favor the Russian fighter. In fact, he’s one of the biggest betting favorites on the card. Are they right to think so? Let’s find out!
Petr Yan vs. Marcus McGhee Odds
| Moneyline | Odds |
|---|---|
| Petr Yan | -350 |
| Marcus McGhee | +285 |
When, Where, and How to Watch?
- Place: Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, UAE
- Date: Saturday, July 26, 2025
- Time: 9:00 p.m. ET
- How to Watch: ABC
Reasons Why Petr Yan’s UFC Abu Dhabi Odds are -350
Petr Yan is a former UFC Bantamweight champion, who from 2020 to 2022 fought four title bouts. He lost two of those, albeit controversially.
In 2021, he lost to Aljamain Sterling by disqualification after landing an illegal knee. A year later, he lost to the same opponent by a somewhat controversial split decision.
He then went on to lose two more fights – against Sean O’Malley (split decision) and Merab Dvalishvili (unanimous decision). Losing to such opponents isn’t embarrassing, especially given that he managed to bounce back.
Last year, he put an end to his losing streak by beating Song Yadong. Then, eight months later, he defeated Deiveson Figueiredo. Both times, he won by decision thanks to landing more significant strikes.
Can Marcus McGhee Stage an Upset?
Marcus McGhee a.k.a., The Maniac is a high-volume striker who lands 6.06 significant strikes per minute on average. This explains why 80% of his wins happened by KO/TKO.
When it comes to wrestling and grappling, he uses those skills mainly to defend. His takedown defense in the UFC is still at 100% even though he’s already fought four fights so far.
Truth be told, however, those weren’t against elite wrestlers. At least not as elite as McGee’s next opponent is.
Petr Yan vs. Marcus McGhee Prediction
This is a three-round fight that we suspect will last until the final bell. But who’s gonna win the judges’ scores? The one who lands more significant strikes and/or takedowns. So, who will it be?
Our pick is Petr Yan. While he might not be as fast with his hands as his American opponent, this guy definitely has much better takedown skills. We expect to see him land at least a couple of TDs, which should be enough to grind out a win by decision.
Pick: Petr Yan by Decision