Twin title bouts and Khamzat Chimaev's first major test: breaking down a stacked UFC 273

The UFC’s latest marquee event takes place this weekend, with UFC 273 at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida. Here we look at some of the must-watch bouts early Sunday in the UAE.

The featherweight champion was initially slated for a third clash with No 1 contender Max Holloway, but the former belt-holder’s withdrawal through injury has provided “The Korean Zombie” a golden opportunity.

Volkanovski, though, has not been beaten in his past 20 professional fights (he has a solitary loss in 24 bouts as a pro) and starred in his last octagon appearance by defeating Brian Ortega via unanimous decision at UFC 266 in September. Highlighted by his remarkable escape from submission, it marked the Australian’s second successful title defence after coming through his rematch with Holloway in Abu Dhabi in 2020.

Chan, meanwhile, has been a little iffy of late, losing three of his past seven in the UFC, although he remains one of the division’s most exciting talents. However, Volkanovski is firmly on the fast track to greatest-of-all-time status at featherweight. Rest assured, this one will entertain.

Finally, a rematch way too long in the making will actually play out. Bad blood has more than bubbled in the 13 months since the controversy of the first match-up, when Sterling captured Yan’s bantamweight crown at UFC 259 after the Russian was disqualified for an illegal knee.

It represented the first time a UFC champion had been crowned via a DQ. Since, Sterling has been sidelined through injury, while in the meantime Yan became interim champion - he scored a superb unanimous decision win against Cory Sandhagen last October in Abu Dhabi. Yan’s defeat to Sterling remains his only loss in his past 12 pro bouts,