Petr Yan and Marcus McGhee meet Saturday in the co-main event of UFC on ABC 9 at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. Check out this quick breakdown of the matchup from MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom.
Last event: 2-3
UFC main cards, 2025: 70-53-1
Petr Yan vs. Marcus McGhee UFC on ABC 9 preview
Yan (18-5 MMA, 10-4 UFC) appears to be back on track after ending a three-fight skid from 2022-23. The former titleholder turned in a strong 2024 campaign, picking up a unanimous decision over Song Yadong and Deiveson Figueiredo. … McGhee (10-1 MMA, 4-0 UFC) has been impressive thus far in his UFC career. Four fights in, he’s picked up three stoppages and one unanimous decision. The fight against Yan is a big step up in competition.
Petr Yan vs. Marcus McGhee UFC on ABC 9 expert pick, prediction
The co-main event on ABC features a banger at bantamweight between Petr Yan and Marcus McGhee.
Don’t let his resemblance to Drexl from “True Romance” fool you, McGhee is a real-deal action fighter who is looking to prove that he can hold his own with the top of the division. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if McGhee can take the first frame off of Yan due to his heavy hands and fast starts.
That said, Yan, akin to Max Holloway, is a fighter archetype I refer to as “a builder,” given the fact that he tends to get better as the fight goes on. Couple that with McGhee’s propensity to slightly slow down, and I suspect that the more experienced and well-rounded Yan can make the American pay for his aggression with counters, leg kicks and the like.
It could be closer than it should, considering the tendency some judges have when it comes to over-rewarding the perceived ‘biggest shot of the round’ in favor of the work that is actually more consistent and effective, but I’ll officially pick Yan to edge out the decision on the scorecards.
Petr Yan vs. Marcus McGhee UFC on ABC 9 odds
The oddsmakers and the public are favoring the Russian fighter, listing Yan -370 and McGhee +295 via FanDuel.
Petr Yan vs. Marcus McGhee UFC on ABC 9 start time, how to watch
As the co-main event, Yan and McGhee are expected to walk to the cage at approximately 4:40 p.m. ET. The fight broadcasts live on ABC and streams on ESPN+.
