UFC Fight Night: Yan vs Dvalishvili odds, predictions, timing: MMA expert shares surprising fight card picks
Petr Yan insists there will be no controversy on Saturday when the former bantamweight champion meets No. 3 contender Merab Dvalishvili in the main event of UFC Fight Night. Their five-round battle anchors the main UFC fight card (6 p.m. ET) from the Virgins Hotel in Las Vegas. Yan has held the interim and unified belts, but his brief reign has been shrouded in controversy. He has lost three of his last four, but all three losses came with some level of controversy, including back-to-back split decision losses. Yan vowed to erase all doubt by finishing Dvalishvili, an elusive grappler who could lock up his first UFC shot if he could earn his ninth straight victory.
Yan is a 240 favorite ($240 risk to win $200), while Dvalishvili comes back at +200 in the latest UFC Fight Night: Yan vs. Dvalishvili odds from Caesars Sportsbook. In the co-main event, flexible heavyweight expectations come to an end as Alexander Romanov (-155) faces Alexander Volkov (+130). Before you lock in any UFC Fight Night: Yan vs. Dvalishvili picks, be sure to check out the MMA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine analyst Daniel Vithlani.
Vithlani is a highly analyzed UFC punter who has made over $6,200 profit for $100 bettors in 2022. This includes a 24-14 recorded record on the highly respected two-legged parlays . All selections were recorded on his public Instagram account.
From breaking down film and following fighters and their camps closely, to tracking sharp action and betting market indicators, Vithlani covers the breadth of the MMA betting landscape from top to bottom . He also trains amateur boxers and regularly speaks with MMA fighters to understand the nuances of the sport.
In his SportsLine debut at UFC 283 in January, Vithlani swept the main card, and his 5-0 mark included advising SportsLine members to back Jamahal Hill (- 125) over Glover Teixeira (+105) for the vacant lightweight title in the main event. Anyone who has followed him has seen a huge comeback.
Now, with UFC Fight Night: Yan vs. Dvalishvili in sight, Vithlani has scoured the card from top to bottom for value and revealed his top MMA picks. Vithlani’s Fight Night picks are available only at SportsLine.
UFC Fight Night: Yan vs Dvalishvili preview
Countless MMA observers believed that Yan (16-4) would become a longtime major champion after capturing the title. The 30-year-old Russian brawler won his first seven UFC fights and won the vacant title by defeating former champion Jose Aldo at UFC 251 in July 2020.
But his situation has been a rollercoaster ever since. In his first defense at UFC 259 in March 2021, Yan appeared to be on his way to a dominant victory against Sterling before he was disqualified for an illegal knee.
Sterling was subsequently out of action for the next 14 months due to injuries sustained in the fight and Yan won the interim title with a unanimous decision against Cory Sandhagen. The Russian eventually lost a rematch against Sterling last year before dropping a wide split decision to polarizing prospect Sean O’Malley last October.
Still, despite losing in three of his last four, Yan’s ranking is No. 2 showing that his stock with the UFC hasn’t dipped significantly and he looks set to get another shot at the title with a surprise outing on Saturday.
Dvalishvili (15-4) has quietly moved up the UFC rankings in a jam-packed division where moving up is hard to come by. The 32-year-old Georgian fighter presents a nightmare style matchup for most opponents, especially traditional strikers like Yan.
Dvalishvili uses a combination of speed wrestling and grappling to shut down his opponent’s offense and win rounds with time control. Dvalishvili is able to stop him, but he only has three knockouts and one submission on his record, and his other 11 wins have come by decision. You can only see who you pick on SportsLine’s UFC Fight Night.
UFC Fight Night Predictions
We share one of Vithlani’s UFC Fight Night picks here: He’s siding with Ryan Spann (+145) to defeat Nikita Krylov (-165) in a matchup of lightweight contenders . This fight was supposed to be the headliner for UFC Fight Night two weeks ago, but Krylov fell ill on the day of the fight and the match was rescheduled for Saturday.
Krylov (29-9) is a 10-year UFC veteran who is widely regarded as one of the most versatile fighters in the division. The 31-year-old has shared the cage with some of the biggest names, but has historically come up short against world-class competition. His resume includes losses to former champions such as Jan Blachowicz and Glover Teixeira.
Spann (21-7) has increased his winning streak in three of his last four, finishing in all three victories. The 31-year-old Memphis knocked out former title challenger Dominick Reyes at UFC 281 in November.
“Spann’s power on the feet is scary, and he has shown that he is a problem to deal with as well. The veteran Krylov has looked good recently and is a tough, non-powerful striker. Krylov is probably the better fighter overall, but Spann is the most dangerous fighter,” Vithlani told SportsLine. See who else is back here.
How to make UFC Fight Night picks
Vithlani has locked in strong picks for Yan vs. Dvalishvili and other bouts on the UFC Fight Night card. He also backs a fighter who is “a hot prospect and gets stuck in a hold” to come out with a dominant win.Vithlani’s picks and MMA analysis can only be found at SportsLine.
Who will win UFC Fight Night: Yan vs Dvalishvili? And what exactly does each fight end? Visit SportsLine now to get detailed picks on every fight at UFC Fight Night, all from the MMA expert who made more than $6,200 in 2022, and find out.
UFC Fight Night picks, fight card
See full UFC Fight Night picks, predictions, best bets here.
Petr Yan (-240) vs. Merab Dvalishvili (+200)
Alexander Romanov (-155) vs. Alexander Volkov (+130)
Nikita Krylov (-165) vs. Ryan Spann (+145)
Ricardo Ramos (-365) vs. Austin Lingo (+285)
Said Nurmagomedov (-235) against Jonathan Martinez (+195)
Davey Grant (-140) vs. Raphael Assuncao (+120)
Henry’s victory (-140) against Tony Gravely
JJ Aldrich (-365) vs. Ariane Lipski (+285)
Cedriques Dumas (-205) vs. Josh Fremd (+175)
Bruno Silva (-190) vs. Tyson Nam (+160)
Karl Williams (-220) vs. Lukasz Brzeski (+180)
Mario Bautista (-1,000) vs. Guido Cannetti (+650)
