The time has finally come and the UFC 299 Main Card is finally here. We'll be bringing you predictions and picks for every fight as we turn our attention towards this opening bout in the Bantamweight (135) Division. No. 4-ranked Petr Yan of Russia will take on No. 7-ranked Song Yadong of China in a massive bout for the future of the division. Check out our UFC odds series for our Yan-Song prediction and pick.
Petr Yan (16-5) has gone 8-4 in the UFC since 2018 en route to becoming the former Bantamweight Champion. After his saga with Aljamain Sterling, Yan took down Cory Sandhagen in a title eliminator, but has since lost three-straight fights coming into this one. He'll be out to prove he hasn't lost his step and that he can still contend for the title. Yan stands 5'7″ with a 67-inch reach.
Song Yadong (21-7-1) has gone an impressive 10-2-1 inside the UFC during his run to this point. He's proven himself against some of the best competitors in the division and he's been building to this fight for quite some time. He's got back-to-back wins coming in and just recently dismantled Chris Gutierrez in his last fight. Could we see Song challenge for the winner of the Main Event? He stands 5'8″ with a 67-inch reach.
Here are the UFC Odds, courtesy of BetOnline.
UFC 299 Odds: Petr Yan-Song Yadong Odds
Petr Yan: -120
Song Yadong: +100
Over 2.5 rounds: -275
Under 2.5 rounds: +215
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Why Petr Yan Will Win
There's no denying that Petr Yan's stock has seriously gone down since his last three losses and you have to wonder how much his previous wars are beginning to take a toll on his overall game. There was no denying his second loss to Aljamain Sterling and while many thought he should've beaten Sean O'Malley on the scorecards, he still looked a step slow and not like himself. He couldn't do much to stop the constant takedowns of Dvalishvili in his last fight, and now he finds himself having to defend his position against an up-and-coming star.
Still, we can't forget the version of Petr Yan that was once champion and how dominant his rise to the top was. Having to face a varying amount of grapplers and longer strikers, Yan will finally get a favorable opponent in Song Yadong, who's game may remind you of Yan himself. During this fight, Petr Yan will have a chance to do what he does best in fighting Muay Thai and I expect us to see a much closer version to the older Petr Yan in this one.
Why Song Yadong Will Win
Song Yadong has been constantly improving since his first fight in the UFC and it's clear that his gym in Team Alpha Male knows they have a future champion on their hands in the young fighter from China. He's only gotten better with each passing fight and we've seen him respond well to his losses, coming back stronger and more improved each time out. This will easily be his toughest test, but he's on the rise and Yan has been sliding, so the time is perfect for Song Yadong to establish another signature win and call his shot for a title.
Song will have to make sure and not stand in front of Petr Yan for the entirety of this fight. Yan is a bit more active with his significant striking output and Song can expect to be hit to all three levels of his body. It would be to his biggest benefit to mix-up his game with takedowns and different looks along the fence to keep Yan guessing. His athleticism should give him a slight advantage here, but he should expect to save his cardio and go all three rounds with the former champ.
Final Petr Yan-Song Yadong Prediction & Pick
This fight could be a Main Event on any other card and we're lucky enough to be getting it to open UFC 299. This is my early pick for ‘Fight of the Year' and I expect the absolute best versions of both fighters to show up in Miami.
After numerous tough bouts against the top-5 in the division, Petr Yan will have an opportunity to stand and strike with another willing kickboxer, something he's been itching to do since losing his belt. He lands at a higher rate and throw more than his opponent, so this fight will ultimately be his to lose if they can keep it on the feet.
Song Yadong's progression in the fight game has taken him this far and we'll finally see if he's on a championship level. He'll have to avoid a straight-up Muay Thai fight against Yan due to his cardio and power difference. Song should look to mix some wrestling in with the help of Coach Urijah Faber, who's seen Yan many times in the past.
This will be extremely close for all three rounds, but I have to side with Song Yadong in this fight. I think he'll have a solid game plan of how to negate Yan's striking, but he'll have to stay disciplined and not give-in to a brawl in the center of the cage. Let's roll with Song Yadong as we bite our nails throughout this one.
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Final Petr Yan-Song Yadong Prediction & Pick: Song Yadong (+100)
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