Yan Vs. McGhee Odds, Full Fight Preview & Prediction

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Bantamweight strikers Petr Yan vs. Marcus McGhee will collide this weekend (Sat., July 26, 2025) at UFC Abu Dhabi inside Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Petr Yan went from being viewed as one of the most technically skilled fighters on the roster to losing three straight bouts, the final of which was a one-sided drubbing at the hands of Merab Dvalishvili. There was some bad luck and iffy decision-making involved, but “No Mercy” has righted the ship with consecutive strong performances and wins over top-ranked opposition.

On the flip side, McGhee has earned a spot in the rankings after just four UFC victories. A training partner of Sean O’Malley, he’s demonstrated nasty kickboxing and good finishing instincts thus far. At 35 years of age, it’s likely for the best that he’s receiving a big opportunity sooner than later, as his window to contend is limited.

Let’s take a closer look at the betting odds and strategic keys for each athlete:

Yan vs. McGhee Betting Odds

Petr Yan victory: -375
Petr Yan via TKO/KO/DQ: +450
Petr Yan via submission: +1100
Petr Yan via decision: -185
Marcus McGhee victory: +295
Marcus McGhee via TKO/KO/DQ: +900
Marcus McGhee via submission: +2500
Marcus McGhee via decision: +500
Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

How Yan Wins

He may not be champion anymore, but I stand by the sentiment that Yan is one of the most skilled fighters in the sport. “No Mercy” is an outrageously slick striker that works all levels and blends his offense better than almost anyone. His ability to transition between combinations, clinch trips, and close-quarter weapons like knees and elbows stands alone.

There are two keys for Yan in this fight. First and foremost, he cannot wait too long to get going. McGhee is a high-volume fighter and will surely try to steal the first round from the more patient Yan. If Yan falls into a hole early in a three round fight, he removes any margin for error and puts serious pressure on himself for the final ten minutes.

Secondly, Yan should be mixing his takedowns into his attack, and that includes trips off caught kicks. We’ve yet to see McGhee taken down inside the Octagon, but his only career loss came via rear naked choke in July 2022. It’s worth testing whether or not his bottom game has improved, and even if it has, catching McGhee’s kicks and dumping him to the floor will help cut down on that volume.

How McGhee Wins

McGhee arrived in the Octagon a complete fighter ready for high-level competition. He’s shown strong offensive wrestling and submission skills, but he does his best work in the stand up. He’s a fluid kickboxer who throws in combination, putting out high numbers with good power behind them.

Nine of his ten career victories come via stoppage.

It’s a massive step up from Jonathan Martinez to Petr Yan, but some ideas remain. For example, McGhee cannot hang back eating kicks. Volume and pressure are going to be necessary here, even if trading with Yan in the pocket carries risk. In terms of advantages, the most obvious on the side of McGhee is activity. He throws a lot, and Yan is known to let rounds slip away. It should be a priority for McGhee to take the opening frame, which would then give him a bit more leverage in setting traps for Yan.

Otherwise, McGhee has to find ways around Yan’s high guard. Hitting the body is an obvious option, but McGhee should also be looking to weave punches around the side or slap the forearm then come straight through the middle with his cross. Craftiness in his combinations will help ensure he’s hitting Yan hard enough to earn the Russian’s respect and impress the judges.

Yan vs. McGhee Prediction

McGhee feels like a very talented Bantamweight. It wouldn’t surprise me to see him favored versus some Top 10 opposition. Unfortunately, he’s way too unproven at the elite Bantamweight level to justify picking him against Yan, who is still performing extremely well despite being several years removed from his title reign.

Yan has shown a level of skill that McGhee has yet to demonstrate. In fairness, McGhee hasn’t been forced to dig quite that deep yet, and this will be his opportunity to do so. Until then, however, it’s difficult to pick him over the younger and more accomplished fighter.

“No Mercy” lands heavy kicks, counters, and the occasional takedown to a competitive-but-clear nod.

Prediction: Yan via decision