UFC 273 Fight Card Odds: Oddsmakers Expect Alexander Volkanovski to Retain his Title
UFC 273 Fight Card Odds: Oddsmakers Expect Alexander Volkanovski to Retain his Title
This sports betting weekend is a loaded one with the Masters, MLB Opening Day and the conclusion of the NBA regular season. Not to be outdone, the world of mixed martial arts is also poised to take center stage on Saturday night. Two championship belts will be up for grabs on the main card of what is a loaded UFC 273 event. Jacksonville, Florida, will play host to this weekend's UFC action.
The headline event of this weekend's UFC pay-per-view is a battle between Alexander Volkanovski and Chan Sung Jung for the Featherweight Championship. The co-main event will be well worth tuning in for as well. Aljamain Sterling and Petr Yan will go head-to-head to determine who is the undisputed UFC bantamweight champion.
The following offers a match-by-match UFC 273 betting preview for Saturday's fights. In addition, readers will find all sorts of vital UFC 273 information including start time, how to watch, and more!
UFC 273 Fight Card Odds, Start Time, and Event Information
UFC 273 Pay-Per-View
- Date: Saturday, April 9, 2022
- Main Card Start Time: 10 p.m. EST (Prelims at 8 p.m.)
- Location: VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena — Jacksonville, FL
- TV Coverage: ESPN+ Pay-Per-View (Prelims air free on ESPN; Early Prelims on UFC Fight Pass)
UFC 273 Fight Card
Main Card Bouts
- Featherweight Title Bout: (c) Alexander Volkanovski vs. (4) Chan Sung Jung
- Bantamweight Title Bout: (c) Aljamain Sterling vs. (c) Petr Yan
- Welterweight Bout: (2) Gilbert Burns vs. (11) Khamzat Chimaev
- Women's Strawweight Bout: (5) Mackenzie Dern vs. (7) Tecia Torres
- Lightweight Bout: Vinc Pichel vs. Mark Madsen
Prelims
- Welterweight Bout: Ian Garry vs. Darrian Weeks
- Heavyweight Bout: (8) Jairzinho Rozenstruik vs. (10) Marcin Tybura
- Women's Bantamweight Bout: (4) Aspen Ladd vs. (7) Raquel Pennington
- Welterweight Bout: Mickey Gall vs. Mike Malott
Early Prelims
- Heavyweight Bout: Aleksei Oleinik vs. Jared Vanderaa
- Middleweight Bout: Anthony Hernandez vs. Josh Fremd
- Women's Strawweight Bout: Piera Rodriguez vs. Kay Hansen
- Bantamweight Bout: Julio Arce vs. Daniel Santos
UFC 273 Odds and Betting Preview
Alexander Volkanovski vs. Chan Sung Jung
With a professional record of 23-1, it's no secret that Alexander Volkanovski is one of the best pound-for-pound MMA fighters on the planet. That lone loss came all the way back in 2013, well before the Australian found himself a place in the UFC. Volkanovski will make his third UFC Featherweight Title defense this Saturday when he faces Chan Sung Jung.
Better known as "The Korean Zombie", Jung has been a part of many memorable fights over the years. However, he has yet to really find a stable footing as far as momentum is concerned in the UFC. Jung lost his only previous championship bout which came all the way back in 2013. He suffered a TKO loss to then-Featherweight belt holder, Jose Aldo at UFC 163. The Zombie has fought six times since then, posting a 4-2 record. He picked up a unanimous decision win over Dan Ige in his most recent fight in June of last year.
Bet up to $1,000 RISK FREE with FanDuel
Meanwhile, Volkanovski enters the UFC 273 betting main event with a 20-fight winning streak intact. Although 11 of his professional victories have come by way of knockout, each of the Aussie's last four triumphs has been via decision. Volkanovski captured the UFC Featherweight belt from Max Holloway in December of 2019 before successfully defending against him in a rematch seven months later. He went on to also defend the title against Brian Ortega last September. Volkanovski earned a unanimous decision victory to retain.
Alexander Volkanovski vs. Chan Sung Jung Odds
| Fighter | Moneyline | ML Implied Probability | Total Rounds | Fight to Go the Distance | Fighter's Favored Method of Victory |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alexander Volkanovski | -720 | 87.8% | O 4.5 (-150) | Yes (-150) | Decision (-135) |
| Chan Sung Jung | +550 | 15.4% | U 4.5 (+132) | No (+128) | KO, TKO or DQ (+1200) |
Given that Volkanovski is unbeaten in his last 20 fights and since joining the world's top MMA promotion, it's no shock to see that he is a massive favorite for the UFC 273 betting main event. -720 odds carry an implied probability of 87.8% that the Australian to emerge from Saturday's fight with his championship in tow. It's worth pointing out that several other sportsbooks list Volkanovski at -800 to win!
With that being said, The Korean Zombie certainly knows a thing or two about digging deep. Jung will be ceding up to 15 pounds to Volkanovski as far as weight goes. However, he will have slight reach and leg reach advantages. The 35-year-old will also have the motivating factor of this most likely being his final shot at winning UFC gold. However, as the UFC betting odds clearly imply, a Zombie win would be a massive upset.
Aljamain Sterling vs. Petr Yan
The co-main event of the UFC 273 betting card features a unification bout that will declare an undisputed bantamweight champion. There is certainly a level of familiarity and no love lost between current champ Aljamain Sterling and interim titleholder, Petr Yan. As far as co-main events are concerned, this one should be a doozy!
Aljamain Sterling vs. Petr Yan Odds
| Fighter | Moneyline | Total Rounds | ML Implied Probability | Fight to Go the Distance | Fighter's Favored Method of Victory |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aljamain Sterling | +360 | O 4.5 (-134) | 21.7% | Yes (-110) | Decision (+800) |
| Petr Yan | -480 | U 4.5 (+115) | 82.8% | No (-108) | Decision (+125) |
The backdrop for this title unification bout can be traced all the way back to 2020. On Dana White's Fight Island over in Abu Dhabi, Yan picked up a TKO victory over Jose Aldo to win the UFC Bantamweight Title. Needless to say, the Russian's first championship defense did not go exactly as planned. Yan surrendered the belt to one Aljamain Sterling in March of last year. He was disqualified for an illegal knee strike that forced a stoppage of the fight.
Fast forward to October of last year and Sterling was set to defend the Bantamweight Title against Yan. However, he had to be pulled from the match due to an injury. This resulted in Yan picking up a unanimous decision over Cory Sandhagen, who fought in Sterling's place. He was awarded the interim UFC Bantamweight Title for the victory, but it was far from how Yan had hoped his second title opportunity in Abu Dhabi would go.
The American and Russian will attempt to settle the score once and for all and determine who is truly fit to preside over the rest of the division. Current UFC 273 odds give Yan a decisive edge to emerge victorious on Saturday.
Gilbert Burns vs. Khamzat Chimaev
The middle fight on the UFC 273 betting main card features two men who are seeking to position themselves for a future welterweight championship opportunity. Each of Gilbert Burns' last two bouts has also come at a UFC pay-per-view. He will have all he can do to handle the undefeated Khamzat Chimaev in Jacksonville on Saturday night.
Be sure to check out the Free Bets page for our best sportsbook offers
Gilbert Burns vs. Khamzat Chimaev Odds
| Fighter | Moneyline | ML Implied Probability | Total Rounds | Fight to Go the Distance | Fighter's Favored Method of Victory |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gilbert Burns | +400 | 20.0% | O 1.5 (-122) | Yes (+210) | Decision (+700) |
| Khamzat Chimaev | -550 | 84.6% | U 1.5 (-104) | No (-310) | KO, TKO or DQ (+125) |
Since the spring of 2018, Burns has been one of the UFC's busiest fighters. This weekend's fight will be the 11th time that the Brazilian has competed inside the Octagon in the last four years. However, it will also be Burns' first bout since July of last year. The 35-year-old had to be removed from a card earlier this year due to health and safety protocols. Somehow, those are actually still a thing.
At any rate, a win on Saturday could position Burns for a second opportunity at Kamaru Usman and the Welterweight Title. Like all others who have tried to wrest the belt from Usman's waist, Burns came up short in his first title opportunity at UFC 258, losing via TKO. Although he enters this bout as the No. 2 ranked welterweight, current UFC 273 odds only give Burns a 20% chance of beating Chimaev. Of course, if he does manage to upset the UFC betting odds, Burns would become the first man to ever beat Chimaev in a professional MMA fight.
A native of Sweden, Chimaev is a perfect 10-0 for his career and 4-0 in UFC matches. In July of 2020, he broke the record for the quickest turnaround between victories in the promotion's history when he beat both John Phillips and Rhys McKee within a 10-day span on Fight Island. The 27-year-old's last time in the Octagon was last fall. He picked up his third straight first-round stoppage with a submission win over Li Jingliang.
Mackenzie Dern vs. Tecia Torres
The headline women's bout on the UFC 273 betting card features the No. 5 and No. 7 ranked fighters in the Strawweight Division. After suffering just the second loss of her career in her last bout, Mackenzie Dern will attempt to get back on track against fellow American Tecia Torres.
Mackenzie Dern vs. Tecia Torres Odds
| Fighter | Moneyline | ML Implied Probability | Total Rounds | Fight to Go the Distance | Fighter's Favored Method of Victory |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mackenzie Dern | -120 | 54.5% | O 2.5 (-175) | Yes (-148) | Submission (+250) |
| Tecia Torres | +104 | 49.0% | U 2.5 (+155) | No (+120) | Decision (+160) |
Considering how close the Dern vs. Torres UFC betting odds are, this matchup has all the makings of winning "Fight of the Night" honors. This is a distinction that Dern is no stranger to earning. In fact, the 29-year-old's last fight took home such honors. Unfortunately, Dern wound up on the losing side in her main event matchup against Marina Rodriguez last August. This snapped a four-fight winning streak and ensured that at least one more hurdle must be cleared before she can earn a title opportunity.
Although Torres will be ceding three inches of height and 2.5-inches of reach, her technical prowess has many UFC odds analysts believing that she could score the upset on Saturday night. Of her 13 professional wins, 11 have come by way of decision. The 32-year-old last fought at UFC 265 where she earned a UD win over Angela Hill. Torres has successfully rebounded from a four-fight losing streak to win each of her last three bouts.
Bet $5 on ANY UFC 273 Moneyline, Get $100 whether that fighter wins or loses!
Vinc Pichel vs. Mark Madsen
After being bumped from the UFC 271 card to this weekend's pay-per-view in Jacksonville, Vinc Pichel and unbeaten Mark Madsen are finally set to collide inside the Octagon.
Vinc Pichel vs. Mark Madsen Odds
| Fighter | Moneyline | ML Implied Probability | Total Rounds | Fight to Go the Distance | Fighter's Favored Method of Victory |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vinc Pichel | -125 | 55.6% | O 2.5 (-185) | Yes (-165) | Decision (+175) |
| Mark Madsen | +118 | 45.9% | U 2.5 (+158) | No (+130) | Decision (+280) |
Age hasn't appeared to slow Pichel down recently. The 39-year-old comes into UFC 273 having won three straight fights and seven of eight since joining the promotion. Each of his last three victories has come via decision, with the most recent coming last August over Austin Hubbard. Pichel will hold a two-inch height advantage in Saturday's contest.
Although Madsen boasts an unblemished professional MMA record of 11-0, he is a slight underdog according to the UFC 273 odds. The 37-year-old last fought on the same Fight Night card that Pichel was a part of last August. Madsen barely held onto his perfect record on that night, escaping with a split decision win over Clay Guida. A relative newcomer to the UFC Lightweight Division, this will be only the fourth fight under the promotion for the native of Denmark.
Henry has had a passion for sports that few can match for as long as he can remember. What started out as a five-year-old taking interest in the New York Jets and their green jerseys has since become a full-fledged career as a writer and sports betting analyst. His coverage primarily includes the NFL, MLB, NBA, NASCAR, college football, and college basketball. In 2020, he ranked among the top-10 most accurate experts ATS in the BettingPros NFL season contest. You can follow Henry’s sports work on Twitter and other social media platforms @HankTimeSports.