Career Averages - Cory Sandhagen
Career Averages - Marlon Vera
Cory Sandhagen
Marlon Vera
Cory Sandhagen - Fight History
AJ picks Sandhagen by decision in a competitive three-round affair, noting Bautista is tough but Sandhagen is too much. He wishes it were five rounds.
AJ picks Cory Sandhagen to win a decision in a competitive fight with Mario Bautista. He mentions Sandhagen by decision at plus 180 as a prop, indicating he sees it as a likely outcome but not a finish.
AJ picks Cory Sandhagen by decision, highlighting his elite long-range striking, footwork, and improved wrestling. He believes Sandhagen's precision and ability to create space will neutralize Bautista's pressure and clinch game. He expects a hard-fought three-round fight with Sandhagen doing more damage and avoiding takedowns.
AJ picks Cory Sandhagen to win a decision, citing his crafty striking, dynamic weapons, and superior submission grappling. He believes Sandhagen's footwork and distance management will give Bautista trouble, and that Bautista's volume-based style won't be enough to outwork Sandhagen. AJ also notes that Sandhagen has fought better competition and has a clear edge in the grappling exchanges.
AJ thinks Sandhagen most likely wins by decision, noting that Sandhagen decision at +190 makes sense. He acknowledges the possibility of a submission again but leans toward a decision win. He mentions the fight is expected to go over 2.5 rounds and that the distance is likely.
AJ leans toward Cory Sandhagen, believing his getup game is superior and that he won't be on his back long. He thinks Sandhagen will mix it up striking and take two out of three rounds. AJ also mentions the fight going over 2.5 rounds.
Angelo thinks Mario has improved more than Cory over the years, becoming the cleaner boxer and better wrestler. He notes Cory's awkwardness could trouble Mario but believes Mario's scrambles and overall evolution give him the edge. He placed a quarter unit on Mario at +125.
Angelo picks Mario Bautista because he believes Bautista is the better overall wrestler with incredible scrambles, and has leveled up significantly since their first fight. He notes that Sandhagen's losses are to wrestlers and Bautista is the better wrestler. He thinks Bautista will wrestle and control the fight, and that Sandhagen's striking advantage may not be enough.
Big Brady passes on this fight entirely. He acknowledges Bautista as a live dog but lacks confidence to bet, expecting a close decision that could go to the judges. He does not make a pick.
Big Brady does not have a clear pick for this fight. He calls it a close, high-level bantamweight fight that he doesn't plan to bet on. He notes Sandhagen has better volume and tools on the feet, while Bautista has more power and can win minutes in the clinch and on the mat. He expects a split decision and sees value on Bautista at plus money, but is not committing.
Big Brady picks Mario Bautista to win by split decision. He acknowledges Sandhagen's striking advantage but notes Bautista's improved grappling and Sandhagen's poor takedown defense. He thinks Bautista can mix in takedowns and control the fight. He calls it an extremely close fight and doesn't have a strong read.
Cody picks Cory Sandhagen, highlighting his superior striking, scrambling ability, and takedown defense. He notes Sandhagen's success against elite wrestlers like Umar Nurmagomedov and Moraes, and believes Bautista's wrestling is not at that level. He expects Sandhagen to edge out a decision.
Daniel Levi picks Mario Bautista to upset Cory Sandhagen, citing Sandhagen's tendency to choke in big fights and his recent title fight loss. He notes that Bautista is hungry, coming off a career-best performance, and has a competitive history with Sandhagen. Levi expects a close fight that could go either way, but leans toward the underdog.
Jacob picks Cory Sandhagen because he believes the fight will be mostly striking and Sandhagen rarely loses striking matches. He notes that Sandhagen is more active and lands more strikes, and that Bautista's wrestling may not be enough to overcome Sandhagen's movement and volume. He thinks Sandhagen will outpoint Bautista to a decision win.
Lucrative James picks Mario Bautista via decision, citing Bautista's improved boxing, cage control, and career trajectory. He sees it as a 50/50 fight but favors Bautista as the underdog due to Sandhagen's recent chin issues and Bautista's superior training environment at MMA Lab. He notes Sandhagen's slight edge in kicks and submissions but believes Bautista's advantages in close rounds will be decisive.
The host believes Bautista's improvements in physicality, defensive grappling, and clinch work will allow him to make the fight ugly and grind out a decision win. He thinks Bautista can replicate the style he used against Aldo to neutralize Sandhagen's unorthodox striking.
The host acknowledges Sandhagen won the first meeting via first-round armbar in 2019, but expects Bautista's improvements and physical confidence to help him muzzle Sandhagen, push him against the cage, and edge out a decision.
Paul picks Sandhagen but is torn, acknowledging both fighters have improved. He sees Sandhagen's volume as the key but respects Bautista's growth. He prefers to watch live and possibly bet in-play.
The MMA Guru picks Mario Bautista to win. He is frustrated with Cory Sandhagen, calling him a nerd and stating he is done with him. He believes Bautista will mix in grappling and be the aggressor, which will sway judges. He notes that Sandhagen often lets fights get away from him when the opponent is the lead.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merab Dvalishvili | 0 | 114 of 265 | 43% | 243 of 399 | 20 of 37 | 54% | 0 | 0 | 10:02 |
| Cory Sandhagen | 0 | 80 of 184 | 43% | 149 of 257 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Merab Dvalishvili | 0 | 11 of 46 | 23% | 32 of 67 | 1 of 4 | 25% | 0 | 0 | 0:52 |
| Cory Sandhagen | 0 | 27 of 53 | 50% | 58 of 85 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 | |
| 2 | Merab Dvalishvili | 0 | 33 of 49 | 67% | 73 of 92 | 8 of 13 | 61% | 0 | 0 | 3:43 |
| Cory Sandhagen | 0 | 2 of 9 | 22% | 23 of 32 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 | |
| 3 | Merab Dvalishvili | 0 | 15 of 48 | 31% | 46 of 80 | 3 of 8 | 37% | 0 | 0 | 1:57 |
| Cory Sandhagen | 0 | 14 of 35 | 40% | 24 of 45 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 | |
| 4 | Merab Dvalishvili | 0 | 21 of 56 | 37% | 31 of 66 | 2 of 4 | 50% | 0 | 0 | 1:26 |
| Cory Sandhagen | 0 | 19 of 43 | 44% | 21 of 46 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 | |
| 5 | Merab Dvalishvili | 0 | 34 of 66 | 51% | 61 of 94 | 6 of 8 | 75% | 0 | 0 | 2:04 |
| Cory Sandhagen | 0 | 18 of 44 | 40% | 23 of 49 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merab Dvalishvili | 114 of 265 | 43% | 86 of 231 | 13 of 18 | 15 of 16 | 79 of 220 | 22 of 27 | 13 of 18 |
| Cory Sandhagen | 80 of 184 | 43% | 46 of 143 | 18 of 23 | 16 of 18 | 80 of 184 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Merab Dvalishvili | 11 of 46 | 23% | 9 of 42 | 0 of 2 | 2 of 2 | 10 of 45 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 |
| Cory Sandhagen | 27 of 53 | 50% | 14 of 39 | 4 of 4 | 9 of 10 | 27 of 53 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | |
| 2 | Merab Dvalishvili | 33 of 49 | 67% | 33 of 49 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 16 of 25 | 8 of 10 | 9 of 14 |
| Cory Sandhagen | 2 of 9 | 22% | 1 of 6 | 0 of 2 | 1 of 1 | 2 of 9 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | |
| 3 | Merab Dvalishvili | 15 of 48 | 31% | 12 of 44 | 1 of 2 | 2 of 2 | 13 of 45 | 2 of 3 | 0 of 0 |
| Cory Sandhagen | 14 of 35 | 40% | 7 of 28 | 4 of 4 | 3 of 3 | 14 of 35 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | |
| 4 | Merab Dvalishvili | 21 of 56 | 37% | 9 of 42 | 5 of 6 | 7 of 8 | 17 of 52 | 4 of 4 | 0 of 0 |
| Cory Sandhagen | 19 of 43 | 44% | 12 of 34 | 4 of 5 | 3 of 4 | 19 of 43 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | |
| 5 | Merab Dvalishvili | 34 of 66 | 51% | 23 of 54 | 7 of 8 | 4 of 4 | 23 of 53 | 7 of 9 | 4 of 4 |
| Cory Sandhagen | 18 of 44 | 40% | 12 of 36 | 6 of 8 | 0 of 0 | 18 of 44 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Dvalishvili (-375), Sandhagen (+295)
Round 1
On his current run, 12 different men have tried to defeat Dvalishvili (20-4, 13-2 UFC), with Sean O’Malley undeservedly getting a second bite at the apple only to get submitted in the rematch. One of those names is not Sandhagen (18-5, 11-4 UFC), who is fresh as a daisy and ready to pull off the upset. The bantamweight throne is up for grabs in this one, and referee Marc Goddard brings the two to the center of the cage to issue particulars and get them to touch gloves. There is no ill will between them, so a glove touch is in order.
Sandhagen starts pushing the pace behind a jab, and a low kick gets in before Dvalishvili can fire back. Dvalishvili pump-fakes his way in, and Sandhagen chew up his front leg and pops the champ with a left hand on the way out. When Dvalishvili charges, Sandhagen beats him to the punch and slaps a low kick off the calf. Dvalishvili walks face-first into a left hook, and Sandhagen follows it with two more punches and a calf kick. “Sandman” parries punches and is ready for a takedown shot, stonewalling the beltholder and pushing him back. Dvalishvili sticks out a punch but absorbs an uppercut when backpedaling, and Sandhagen throws low while Dvalishvili goes high. Dvalishvili drops down in pursuit of a single, and when Sandhagen defends the first try, the Georgian switches to a body lock and a trip. Dvalishvili muscles the challenger around but cannot get Sandhagen down on repeated attempts.
Sandhagen plants knees to the body while Dvalishvili is attacking a takedown, and Dvalishvili gets Sandhagen down. The challenger does not seem concerned, as he posts off and stands up without taking much damage going up or down. Sandhagen backs Dvalishvili up and lines up a straight right hand down the pipe, and he chains a few punches into a low kick. Sandhagen scores and evades the counter, keeping to his preferred range at the tail end of a right hand. Dvalishvili tries to bite down on the mouthpiece and trade, but he quickly transitions to a clinch and body lock. Three left hands from Dvalishvili get in before he has to break off, and Dvalishvili stalks him down but eats a jab and part of a step-in knee. Sandhagen sticks and moves, skirting away from everything but a reaching left. Sandhagen strings together combos until the horn sounds.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Sandhagen
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Sandhagen
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Dvalishvili
Round 2
To start off the round, Dvalishvili loops in a pair of short hooks, opening a cut on the side of the bridge of Sandhagen’s nose. Dvalishvili surges his way into a takedown shot, and he lifts Sandhagen’s leg up in the air but cannot put him down. The frame of Sandhagen keeps him a gangly mess of limbs and fists, and Dvalishvili drags him down for a moment. Sandhagen forces his way up and out, and he works the body and pitches a kick up high. Sandhagen dips in to land a single left hook, and Dvalishvili barely reaches him with one and then gets four back on him. Sandhagen counters with a knee, and Dvalishvili explodes. Without concern for his safety or well-being, Dvalishvili goes for broke, assaulting the challenger with a flurry of fists and feet and hurt him badly.
Sandhagen stays afloat, somehow surviving after taking serious damage, with Dvalishvili stuck to him like a bad penny. Dvalishvili drags him down, and when Sandhagen stands, the Georgian hits a smooth sacrifice takedown where he stomps on the back of Sandhagen’s heels and drags him down. As Dvalishvili is in the driver’s seat, he starts turning Sandhagen into a takedown dummy. While Sandhagen manages to get off the ground quickly when placed there, Dvalishvili gets him down a little longer each time. “The Machine” hurls Sandhagen to his back, and Sandhagen uses his long legs to try for a high guard to protect him. Dvalishvili laughs it off and smacks Sandhagen around, and Sandhagen gets to his seat and up but Dvalishvili is still hanging on from behind. Dvalishvili goes from double to single, and he lets them all go to dance back to his corner before the horn blares.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-8 Dvalishvili
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-8 Dvalishvili
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-8 Dvalishvili
Round 3
Some referees may have stopped it in the second round when Dvalishvili was beating on his opponent, but Goddard rightfully let it carry on. Sandhagen thanks him for this by coming out of his corner alert and energized, where he commences his offense with long jabs and distance kicks. Dvalishvili tries to reach him with lunging strikes, and Sandhagen is out of range from most of them. Dvalishvili lands at the end of a reaching combo, and he shoots for a double and puts “Sandman” on his knees. Sandhagen powers back to his feet—a version of this will likely be typed a few dozen more times at this rate—and has Dvalishvili behind him keeping him miserable. Sandhagen spins and fights out of the tie-up, and he wings a right hand that is overswung and inaccurate. The American jabs to the body a few times, and Dvalishvili counters with an overhand right. Dvalishvili sits down in the pocket to trade hands, unafraid of the longer striker at this stage in the game. Sandhagen springs forward to jab, and Dvalishvili ducks down to snatch up a single. Turning the attempt to a double, Dvalishvili jams Sandhagen to the wall and against the wire. Sandhagen turns out and resets.
Dvalishvili slowly but methodically approaches the challenger, and he throws a head kick and quickly has to get his guard up to block one from Sandhagen. Dvalishvili lobs four punches, the latter two so he can close distance and go after a single. Sandhagen bounces off the floor back to his feet, and Dvalishvili tries not to let him go but Sandhagen frees himself. Sandhagen chases after the champ with hurled hooks, and he catches Dvalishvili coming in with a short left. Dvalishvili races after a single, and he strips Sandhagen’s footing away and follows him back upright when Sandhagen stands. Dvalishvili uses the leverage of a single to sling Sandhagen to the mat, and he lets Sandhagen up to further exhaust him. As Dvalishvili spams knees to the back of the thigh, he is grinning and laughing. The round wraps.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Dvalishvili
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Dvalishvili
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Dvalishvili
Round 4
Sandhagen immediate starts the round with jabs outstretched. When Dvalishvili responds, Sandhagen gives him a few punches and a kick to think about. Dvalishvili meanders forward swinging his fists, and he is out of range from everything but a few calf kicks. Sandhagen kicks him back harder, and he drills the champ with a one-two. Dvalishvili catches Sandhagen’s leg out of the air and trips his other to put him down on his knees. Sandhagen wall-walks with the fence at his chest, and Dvalishvili holds him until deciding to try again from a different angle. Sandhagen lines up a left to the liver, and Dvalishvili swarms him with a pair of hooks. Dvalishvili tosses out a low, body and high kick, and he takes another liver shot on the way.
Sandhagen ducks a punch swing, but this only allows Dvalishvili to close in and try to clinch and trip him. “Sandman” gets out of it and reaches the champ with a left hand, and Dvalishvili ducks down for a single. Pushing Sandhagen to the wall, he wrestles Sandhagen down but Sandhagen pulls him with him. This results in a moment where both men just want to stand up, and they do so and reset in kickboxing range. Sandhagen hits a fade-back right hand with Dvalishvili coming at him, and he intercepts the champion with a sharp overhand right. Dvalishvili retaliates with an uppercut up the middle, and he catches Sandhagen upstairs while Sandhagen is flying high in the air with a knee. Sandhagen settles himself down and swats at “The Machine” with body shots. Dvalishvili responds with a one-two down the pipe, and he tosses Sandhagen to the mat on his face. Dvalishvili hangs on with a brabo choke grip, and when the round’s time expires, the two are playful towards one another and celebrating the successes of the other.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Sandhagen
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Dvalishvili
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Sandhagen
Round 5
Scores could be all over the map, and the fighters are treating it as such as they begin the round trading leather. Sandhagen strikes first, and Dvalishvili spins him around and grabs him from behind to hurl him to the floor. Sandhagen uses the wall to stand, and he breaks off and flashes his jab. Dvalishvili intercepts a one-two, and he clips Sandhagen with a short right. Sandhagen ducks a hook and whiffs on his own left, and Dvalishvili use a standing hammerfist to set up a follow-up strike. Dvalishvili drags the challenger down to a knee, and he is unable to hold him there. Sandhagen breaks and spins for a back kick that knocks the champ into the wall, and when Dvalishvili bounces off, Sandhagen pops him in the chops with a left. Dvalishvili charges for a takedown and sells out for a sacrifice throw, using the awkward position to keep Sandhagen stuck. Sandhagen’s toes are hooked in the fence, to which Goddard warns him to stop doing, and they both fight back to their feet with two minutes to spare.
Sandhagen belts the champ with a left hand, tries a flying knee and catches him with a few more punches. Dvalishvili fires back with a vengeance, opening a cut on the side of Sandhagen’s left eye. When Sandhagen gets some work done, Dvalishvili stops him in his tracks with a double. For the first time in the fight, Dvalishvili has Sandhagen down and flat on his back. Sandhagen is quick to turn to his knees, and at the 30-second mark, he stands. Dvalishvili wrenches him right back down, and Sandhagen pops back up. Once more Dvalishvili gets him down, and Sandhagen explodes to his feet and unleashes a bomb of a left hand that hurts the champion badly. Dvalishvili keeps a stiff upper lip, but he is retreating with a funny look on his face, and Sandhagen elects of all final attacks to throw a spinning wheel kick that is nowhere near the mark. Dvalishvili dances away, and the fight ends. The takedown title in a UFC championship bout is almost certain Dvalishvili’s as he cruised past 100 in the Octagon to date. Even on arguably Sandhagen’s best day, it still does not appear to be enough to surpass “The Machine.” The conversation is still premature, but every victory for the Georgian puts him one step closer to becoming the greatest bantamweight in the sport’s history.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Dvalishvili (48-46 Dvalishvili)
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Dvalishvili (49-45 Dvalishvili)
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Dvalishvili (49-45 Dvalishvili)
The Official Result
Merab Dvalishvili def. Cory Sandhagen via Unanimous Decision (49-45, 49-45, 49-46)
Angelo picks Merab Dvalishvili, acknowledging that Cory Sandhagen is a tough matchup with good skills everywhere. He believes Merab's non-stop chain wrestling and cardio are his biggest weapons, and that Sandhagen is better than Sean O'Malley but still likely to lose. He notes that Sandhagen's cardio slowed against Umar, and that Merab's pressure will be overwhelming.
Big Brady thinks the fight will be competitive but clear in favor of Dvalishvili. He notes that Sandhagen has advantages in height, reach, and striking, but Dvalishvili's wrestling and ability to dictate where the fight takes place will be key. He expects Dvalishvili to win by decision, possibly 49-46 or 48-47. He does not like the line but is not picking against Dvalishvili.
Connor picks Dvalishvili, agreeing with Zane that Sandhagen's physicality is a major concern. He highlights that Sandhagen's best path is to pressure Merab and keep him on the back foot, but even then, Merab's wrestling and durability make it hard to win a decision. Connor also notes that Sandhagen lacks finishing power at the highest level, making it unlikely he stops Merab.
The host expects a classic Dvalishvili performance with takedowns and control time, possibly threatening submissions, but Sandhagen will be too slippery to catch, leading to a decision win for Dvalishvili.
The MMA Guru picks Merab Dvalishvili, citing his relentless pace, takedowns, and improving striking. He notes Cory Sandhagen's lack of finishing ability and tendency to leave fights close. He predicts a 49-46 or 48-47 decision.
Zane picks Dvalishvili because he believes Sandhagen lacks the physicality to consistently win scrambles and wrestling exchanges against Merab. He notes that Sandhagen has struggled against elite wrestlers like Umar Nurmagomedov and that Merab's endless cardio and improved striking make him a nightmare matchup. Zane also points out that even if Sandhagen has a good round or two, he is unlikely to finish Merab and will likely be worn down over five rounds.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cory Sandhagen | 0 | 54 of 87 | 62% | 92 of 149 | 2 of 2 | 100% | 0 | 1 | 5:07 |
| Deiveson Figueiredo | 0 | 6 of 9 | 66% | 8 of 11 | 2 of 5 | 40% | 0 | 1 | 0:31 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cory Sandhagen | 0 | 31 of 39 | 79% | 53 of 78 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 3:37 |
| Deiveson Figueiredo | 0 | 2 of 2 | 100% | 3 of 3 | 1 of 4 | 25% | 0 | 0 | 0:04 | |
| 2 | Cory Sandhagen | 0 | 23 of 48 | 47% | 39 of 71 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 0 | 1 | 1:30 |
| Deiveson Figueiredo | 0 | 4 of 7 | 57% | 5 of 8 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 0 | 1 | 0:27 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cory Sandhagen | 54 of 87 | 62% | 33 of 65 | 2 of 2 | 19 of 20 | 24 of 43 | 0 of 0 | 30 of 44 |
| Deiveson Figueiredo | 6 of 9 | 66% | 4 of 6 | 0 of 0 | 2 of 3 | 4 of 7 | 2 of 2 | 0 of 0 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cory Sandhagen | 31 of 39 | 79% | 22 of 30 | 1 of 1 | 8 of 8 | 10 of 13 | 0 of 0 | 21 of 26 |
| Deiveson Figueiredo | 2 of 2 | 100% | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 1 | 1 of 1 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 | |
| 2 | Cory Sandhagen | 23 of 48 | 47% | 11 of 35 | 1 of 1 | 11 of 12 | 14 of 30 | 0 of 0 | 9 of 18 |
| Deiveson Figueiredo | 4 of 7 | 57% | 3 of 5 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 2 | 3 of 6 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Sandhagen (-500), Figueiredo (+380)
Round 1
The final bout to grace Wells Fargo Arena on this Saturday features Sandhagen, a longtime bantamweight contender who has picked up an impressive collection of scalps while not-so-patiently waiting his chance at UFC gold, against a man in Figueiredo who has already worn the flyweight version of that hardware twice, and hopes a win over “The Sandman” will allow him to skip the line at age 38. Overseeing this ultra-high stakes clash will be veteran referee Dan Miragliotta, who thankfully has shown no sign of the clapper-versus-horn confusion that plagued him at UFC Kansas City last week. Both contenders are in orthodox stance, and it is the taller Sandhagen who takes the front foot in the early going. Figueiredo scores with a calf kick, and Sandhagen clinches and moves his foe to the fence. They jockey for position there, punctuated by a few short strikes, before disengaging. Figueiredo lands a solid uppercut on the break. They move back to the center of the Octagon and Figueiredo lands another uppercut, then changes levels and pulls the action to the canvas. Figueiredo moves to Sandhagen’s back in a flash, and looks close to securing back mount before Sandhagen tripods and elevates his hips, trying to get the Brazilian to slide off the top. He succeeds, but Figueiredo tries to hop back onto his back and actually threatens to do so for a moment. He bails and Sandhagen lands on top. Figueiredo looks for a heel hook, but Sandhagen gets to a safe spot and smashes Figueiredo with hammerfists. Figueiredo gives up the leglock and scrambles to get up, but Sandhagen ends up on top again in half guard. Figueiredo again attacks a leg, and again Sandhagen crushes the space, gets his leg out of danger and punishes “Deus da Guerra” with some thudding ground-and-pound. The round ends with Sandhagen above Figueiredo, calmly looking for openings to punch.
Sherdog Scores
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Sandhagen
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Sandhagen
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Sandhagen
Round 2
Sandhagen claims the center of the cage to open Round 2 and Figueiredo meets him there. They exchange low kicks that land and punching combinations that mostly glance or miss. Figueiredo changes levels for a slick single-leg, dragging Sandhagen to the floor. There, they briefly find themselves in a “leglock race” position that must have Ryan Hall shaking his head in Sandhagen’s corner. They return to their feet and moments later, it’s Sandhagen who times his man nicely for a level change, depositing the former flyweight champ on his rear and setting up in his guard. Sandhagen throws a salvo of punches with both hands, but loses top position a few moments later and ends up with Figueiredo standing over him out of half guard.
Sandhagen reaches for a leglock from the bottom and their legs become entwined as Sandhagen jumps back into his opponent’s guard. Sandhagen sweeps to top position and throws a couple of punches before it becomes apparent that Figueiredo is done fighting. Figueiredo taps in obvious pain as Miragliotta jumps in and waves off the fight. Replay shows that the entanglement of Sandhagen’s right leg and Figuereido’s left resulted in a knee injury to the Brazilian.
It surely isn’t how they drew it up in the gym, but as Sandhagen stands alone to have his hand raised while his stricken opponent is helped back to the locker rooms, he has made a solid case for at shot at the belt in his next fight.
The Official Result
Cory Sandhagen def. Deiveson Figueiredo R2 4:08 via TKO (Knee Injury)
Angelo is very confident in Cory Sandhagen, citing his superior striking, footwork, and durability. He believes Figueiredo's improved cardio and wrestling at bantamweight will not be enough to overcome Sandhagen's skills. He expects Sandhagen to win eight out of ten times and would bet if the odds drop to -300 or better.
Big Brady is confident in Cory Sandhagen, citing a rough matchup for Figueiredo. He notes that Figueiredo is undersized at bantamweight, his power hasn't translated, and he struggles with volume. Sandhagen has a great chin, cardio, and volume advantage, and will outland Figueiredo significantly. Figueiredo relies on moments, but Sandhagen is durable and hard to take down. Brady expects Sandhagen to pick Figueiredo apart over five rounds.
Connor agrees with Zane, emphasizing that Sandhagen can beat Figueiredo in every phase, including on the ground. He highlights Sandhagen's calmness in grappling positions, similar to Yan's ability to stall Figueiredo's back takes. Connor notes that Figueiredo's power is real but his speed is declining, and Sandhagen's size and durability make him a tough target. He calls it a straightforward pick but expects a competitive fight.
This is a perfect stylistic matchup for Sandhagen. Figueiredo may grapple early but can't keep it up for more than two rounds. Sandhagen's output, cardio, volume, and grappling will allow him to win at least three of the last four rounds and win a decision.
The MMA Guru picks Cory Sandhagen to win by TKO in round four, possibly due to a doctor stoppage from swelling. He believes Sandhagen's range, footwork, and jab will frustrate Figueiredo, who struggles with taller opponents. He compares it to Moreno's performance but expects Sandhagen to do more damage. He notes that Sandhagen has a good chin and can survive knockdowns. He thinks the odds are crazy and Sandhagen should be a -250 favorite.
Zane sees Sandhagen as a steady, adaptable technician who can fight well wherever the fight goes. He notes that Figueiredo's low output and reliance on singular moments of offense won't work against Sandhagen over five rounds. Zane also points out that Sandhagen's size and calm grappling defense will neutralize Figueiredo's takedowns, similar to how Yan handled them. He acknowledges Figueiredo's power but believes Sandhagen's consistency and volume will carry him to a decision win.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Umar Nurmagomedov | 0 | 71 of 159 | 44% | 80 of 172 | 0 of 2 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:12 |
| Cory Sandhagen | 0 | 98 of 187 | 52% | 123 of 219 | 5 of 13 | 38% | 0 | 0 | 5:11 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Umar Nurmagomedov | 0 | 17 of 34 | 50% | 17 of 36 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Cory Sandhagen | 0 | 15 of 28 | 53% | 15 of 28 | 1 of 4 | 25% | 0 | 0 | 0:39 | |
| 2 | Umar Nurmagomedov | 0 | 16 of 32 | 50% | 20 of 36 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:12 |
| Cory Sandhagen | 0 | 24 of 42 | 57% | 24 of 42 | 1 of 3 | 33% | 0 | 0 | 0:55 | |
| 3 | Umar Nurmagomedov | 0 | 12 of 30 | 40% | 12 of 30 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Cory Sandhagen | 0 | 17 of 27 | 62% | 20 of 30 | 1 of 2 | 50% | 0 | 0 | 0:25 | |
| 4 | Umar Nurmagomedov | 0 | 20 of 53 | 37% | 20 of 53 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Cory Sandhagen | 0 | 30 of 65 | 46% | 32 of 67 | 1 of 2 | 50% | 0 | 0 | 0:36 | |
| 5 | Umar Nurmagomedov | 0 | 6 of 10 | 60% | 11 of 17 | 0 of 2 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Cory Sandhagen | 0 | 12 of 25 | 48% | 32 of 52 | 1 of 2 | 50% | 0 | 0 | 2:36 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Umar Nurmagomedov | 71 of 159 | 44% | 26 of 94 | 18 of 32 | 27 of 33 | 71 of 158 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 |
| Cory Sandhagen | 98 of 187 | 52% | 48 of 124 | 27 of 39 | 23 of 24 | 96 of 182 | 2 of 5 | 0 of 0 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Umar Nurmagomedov | 17 of 34 | 50% | 4 of 16 | 4 of 7 | 9 of 11 | 17 of 34 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Cory Sandhagen | 15 of 28 | 53% | 8 of 18 | 3 of 5 | 4 of 5 | 15 of 27 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 | |
| 2 | Umar Nurmagomedov | 16 of 32 | 50% | 6 of 16 | 4 of 9 | 6 of 7 | 16 of 32 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Cory Sandhagen | 24 of 42 | 57% | 11 of 27 | 7 of 9 | 6 of 6 | 23 of 40 | 1 of 2 | 0 of 0 | |
| 3 | Umar Nurmagomedov | 12 of 30 | 40% | 2 of 13 | 2 of 7 | 8 of 10 | 12 of 30 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Cory Sandhagen | 17 of 27 | 62% | 2 of 6 | 7 of 13 | 8 of 8 | 17 of 27 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | |
| 4 | Umar Nurmagomedov | 20 of 53 | 37% | 11 of 43 | 7 of 8 | 2 of 2 | 20 of 53 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Cory Sandhagen | 30 of 65 | 46% | 21 of 55 | 5 of 6 | 4 of 4 | 29 of 63 | 1 of 2 | 0 of 0 | |
| 5 | Umar Nurmagomedov | 6 of 10 | 60% | 3 of 6 | 1 of 1 | 2 of 3 | 6 of 9 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 |
| Cory Sandhagen | 12 of 25 | 48% | 6 of 18 | 5 of 6 | 1 of 1 | 12 of 25 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Nurmagomedov (-305), Sandhagen (+245)
Round 1
When the dust settles and a maximum of 25 minutes elapses, a bantamweight title challenger will almost certainly emerge. Having never vied for the undisputed throne, Sandhagen (17-4, 10-3 UFC) wants to prove the naysayers wrong and hand Nurmagomedov (17-0, 5-0 UFC) his first pro defeat. While a large step up in competition for the Russian, bettors largely favor him to get his hand raised. Referee Marc Goddard will handle the particulars for the next five rounds or fewer, and he brings the two combatants to the center of the cage to formally touch gloves and initiate the proceedings. Sandhagen darts in and continually pulls back, keeping out of range of a head kick or two that comes at him. They trade leg kicks, and Nurmagomedov shoots in for a single. Dragging Sandhagen to the mat for a moment, Nurmagomedov manages to take the back but Sandhagen is able to wriggle away and get back to the middle of the cage. Nurmagomedov reaches him with a one-two, and Sandhagen kicks him hard on the lead leg. Nurmagomedov tries to catch it, and he abandons it to launch a head kick that bounces off the shoulder. Sandhagen scores a right hand and a low kick, and he reaches the midsection with a long right hand before bouncing away from a kick. Nurmagomedov attacks a single, and Sandhagen hops on the other leg and slashes with an elbow before fighting it off. Sandhagen wings a left hook that buzzes past his foe, and he hops forward with a jab. Sandhagen connects with a head kick, and the foot brushes the cup and Sandhagen stops to make sure Nurmagomedov is ok. He is. Leg kicks fly from both sides, with Sandhagen adding more and tripping Nurmagomedov up. Nurmagomedov falls on his side awkwardly, and he bounces back up while Sandhagen gives chase. Nurmagomedov counters a leg kick with a hard left over the top, and he eats a swiping left hook. Nurmagomedov strikes, slips and escapes, but Sandhagen follows him and hammers him with a kick on the calf. Nurmagomedov fakes an entry on a takedown, and he sticks his man, gets countered and lands a heavy leg kick. Front kicks from both men connect, and Sandhagen jumps forward with a switch kick that hits the body. Nurmagomedov ducks a punch and hits a takedown, allowing Sandhagen to scramble so he can take the back. They get tangled up like 135-pound pretzels, and Sandhagen smacks him with a few hammerfists until the bell.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Sandhagen
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Nurmagomedov
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Sandhagen
Round 2
Sandhagen strides out of his corner stopping before a front kick can reach him, but in range so that his front leg gets kicked. Sandhagen kicks him back and defends a single, sprawling effectively while pushing on the back of his foe’s head. Nurmagomedov turns the corner and grabs hold of Sandhagen from behind, and Sandhagen works his way to the fence to lean on it. Nurmagomedov knees him on the break, and when they reset, Sandhagen snaps his head to the side with a left hook. Nurmagomedov misses with a head kick and eats a jab, and he tries to reach the target with a one-two that comes up short. Sandhagen lands a thudding left hand and gets countered tossing out a leg kick with a left to the chest. Sandhagen jumps forward but pulls back from the knee as Nurmagomedov wants to catch him, and a volley of low kicks soon flies. Sandhagen chops down the front leg, prompting a stance switch, and Nurmagomedov lunges with a body shot. They take turns kicking one another in the calf and launching one-twos, and alternating kicks are released. Nurmagomedov slaps Sandhagen in the face with the instep of his foot, and Sandhagen does not register the blow and boots Nurmagomedov upside the head with his own kick. Sandhagen eats a right and responds with a left, and he jabs and tries to parry a front kick aimed at his nose. Sandhagen connects with a low kick, and the Russian is ready and willing to counter with a left over the top. The punches from Nurmagomedov have opened a cut on the eyebrow of his opponent, and Nurmagomedov attempts a takedown and manages to take Sandhagen to his seat. Nurmagomedov tries to take the back and is warned for grabbing inside the gloves, and he gets hold of Sandhagen’s back and locks down a brief crucifix. Nurmagomedov flirts with a choke for a second, but Sandhagen explodes to his feet and spins around. Nurmagomedov trips him to the floor, and Sandhagen gets up and lands a front kick before the horn sounds.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Nurmagomedov
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Nurmagomedov
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Nurmagomedov
Round 3
Leading the dance again is Sandhagen, who makes the Russian back away courtesy of his measuring jab. Nurmagomedov slaps a kick beneath the armpit of his foe, and his front leg gets kicked in response. Nurmagomedov scores a calf kick, and Sandhagen switches stances and engages. The kicks from “The Sandman” are getting the attention of the unbeaten fighter, who is raising his leg preemptively when not trying to catch them. Nurmagomedov kicks the front leg and whiffs on a head kick, and Sandhagen kicks his foe’s raised limb. Nurmagomedov hammers another kick low, and he tries to check one flying back his direction. Sandhagen jabs his way in, but nothing follows it. Nurmagomedov brushes past the hair with a kick, and Sandhagen slams his shin on both sides. The two bantamweights remain at this snail’s pace for some time, both appearing to take the round off. Sandhagen kicks the calf and Nurmagomedov shoots for a takedown right after it, resulting in Sandhagen bouncing away and breaking the grip to escape. Leg kicks keep getting traded, and he blocks a body kick and pushes a front kick to the chest. Sandhagen jumps with a switch kick that lands to the body, and Nurmagomedov manages to kick him back to the side. Nurmagomedov jams a left hand to the breadbasket, and Sandhagen leaps into action with a punch and a kick. Nurmagomedov chases him around aiming body shots, and Sandhagen intercepts him with a knee. Nurmagomedov goes for a takedown, and as Sandhagen gives up his back to stand, Nurmagomedov gladly obliges to take it in the scramble, Sandhagen sits comfortably until the round ends.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Nurmagomedov
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Nurmagomedov
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Nurmagomedov
Round 4
The championship rounds have been reached, and Sandhagen pushes the pace with several jabs and follow-up right hands. Nurmagomedov responds with a pair of high kicks, and both a get blocked. Nurmagomedov shovels a few uppercuts to the chin, and Sandhagen rushes after him with a short combination. Two hooks from Sandhagen miss the mark, and the third graces the chin. Sandhagen lands a clean left hook, and Nurmagomedov places two punches on the jaw. Sandhagen again scores his dipping hook, and then a third time. Nurmagomedov jabs and throws crosses, and Sandhagen reaches him at the end of a right hand. They are taking turns once again in engaging, and Sandhagen starts while Nurmagomedov ends these exchanges. Nurmagomedov lands a flush one-two, only to be met with a left from “The Sandman.” It cleanly catches his man again, prompting Nurmagomedov to string three punches back at him. Sandhagen hammers the body and is countered with a left hook, and he defends against a looping body shot. The Russian finds his home with a body kick, and Sandhagen clips him with an uppercut. They both trade heavy shots, and Nurmagomedov concludes the combo with a right before exiting. Sandhagen does wide with a high kick, and Nurmagomedov retaliates with a trio of fleet fists. Sandhagen scores a solid low kick, and he comes up just short with a front kick. Nurmagomedov ducks a punch to procure a takedown, and he succeeds in dragging Sandhagen to a knee from behind. Sandhagen rolls through and pushes off the fence, turning himself around but eating a few punches in the process. Sandhagen responds with his own double try before the horn blares.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Nurmagomedov
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Nurmagomedov
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Nurmagomedov
Round 5
The first punch of the last round is scored by Sandhagen, with a left hook that he has find the last round or so. Sandhagen switches stances and delivers leg kicks, and he is shoved away by a front kick. Sandhagen chops down the lead wheel, and he blocks a body kick to lash out with a calf kick. Sandhagen shoots for a single, and he bails on it to go over the top with a left hook. Nurmagomedov shrugs it off and comes out swinging, with a right to the body and a missed right hook upstairs. Sandhagen goes after another single, with nothing on it. Sandhagen again tries a big overhand right, and Nurmagomedov is there to back him off with three crisp punches and a body kick. Sandhagen stands Nurmagomedov up with a right hand, but Nurmagomedov is quick to shake it off and coming back strong. Sandhagen dodges the front kick, and he is forced to defend a takedown attempt where the Russian takes him from behind and follows him while rolling. Sandhagen sets up a triangle choke when Nurmagomedov turns over to take top position, but Nurmagomedov works through it and establishes top control. Sandhagen looks to his corner for advice, and he rolls over to give his back up. Nurmagomedov gets a hook in and holds his leg over Sandhagen’s right arm, but Sandhagen’s scramble allows him to flip him around and attack a single. Nurmagomedov follows this roll with his own roll, and he sits on Sandhagen’s face before sliding around to establish half guard. Nurmagomedov clings to top position, cruising to a win while landing some occasional ground-and-pound. Nurmagomedov holds on, doing what he needs to do to get his hand raised. This is easily the biggest win in the career of the cousin of Khabib Nurmagomedov, who is now a perfect 18-0 and likely the next man in line to face the winner of Sean O’Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili. No matter who that ends up being, we will be here for it. We hope you are too.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Nurmagomedov (49-46 Nurmagomedov)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Nurmagomedov (50-45 Nurmagomedov)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Nurmagomedov (49-46 Nurmagomedov)
The Official Result
Umar Nurmagomedov def. Cory Sandhagen via Unanimous Decision (50-45, 49-46, 49-46)
Angelo picks Nurmagomedov because of his elite wrestling and chain takedowns. He notes Sandhagen has been taken down by everyone who tried, and despite being more well-rounded, he doesn't see Sandhagen defending the takedowns. He expects Nurmagomedov to cruise to a decision.
Big Brady believes Umar is a future champion and that this is a winnable stylistic matchup. He notes Sandhagen's takedown defense has improved but is still suspect, and Umar should have no problem taking the fight to the ground and controlling it. He predicts Umar wins by decision, acknowledging Sandhagen is being disrespected by the odds.
Cody picks Umar Nurmagomedov, citing his wrestling and top control as key advantages. He notes that Umar is a 28-year-old Russian talent with solid top pressure and positional soundness, though his wrestling isn't as dominant as Khabib's. Cody believes Umar will use takedowns to neutralize Sandhagen's striking and win a unanimous decision. He acknowledges the line is wide but trusts the Dagestani game plan.
Daniel is torn on this fight. He acknowledges Umar's undefeated record and the Dagestani mystique, especially in Abu Dhabi, but questions his level of competition. He notes Sandhagen's elite resume and improvements since the Yan loss, including increased takedown attempts. Ultimately, he reluctantly picks Umar due to the location and potential, but admits he has no clear read and considers it a dog or pass from a betting perspective.
Nurmagomedov's overall skill set will allow him to stay away from Sandhagen's unorthodox striking. He will eventually resort to wrestling, keeping Sandhagen on his back and grinding out a decision win.
Paul picks Umar Nurmagomedov, emphasizing his wrestling and the fact that Sandhagen has struggled against elite grapplers. He notes Sandhagen's takedown defense has improved but there are levels, and Umar's striking is also coming along. Paul expects Umar to mix in takedowns and control the fight, similar to what Belal Muhammad does. He mentions the line is wide but still sides with Umar.
The MMA Guru picks Umar Nurmagomedov over Cory Sandhagen, believing Sandhagen is too weak despite his technique. He thinks Umar's size and strength will allow him to hold Sandhagen down, especially in Abu Dhabi where standups are rare. He notes Sandhagen's lack of power and poor wrestling compared to Umar. He predicts a boring 49-46 decision for Umar.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cory Sandhagen | 0 | 34 of 84 | 40% | 132 of 211 | 7 of 7 | 100% | 1 | 0 | 19:38 |
| Rob Font | 0 | 9 of 49 | 18% | 25 of 69 | 1 of 2 | 50% | 0 | 0 | 1:08 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cory Sandhagen | 0 | 8 of 26 | 30% | 27 of 51 | 2 of 2 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 2:43 |
| Rob Font | 0 | 5 of 22 | 22% | 6 of 24 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 0:23 | |
| 2 | Cory Sandhagen | 0 | 7 of 15 | 46% | 38 of 54 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 4:41 |
| Rob Font | 0 | 0 of 7 | 0% | 4 of 12 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 | |
| 3 | Cory Sandhagen | 0 | 10 of 24 | 41% | 27 of 48 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 3:43 |
| Rob Font | 0 | 4 of 10 | 40% | 4 of 11 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 | |
| 4 | Cory Sandhagen | 0 | 6 of 11 | 54% | 29 of 39 | 2 of 2 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 4:41 |
| Rob Font | 0 | 0 of 4 | 0% | 2 of 7 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 | |
| 5 | Cory Sandhagen | 0 | 3 of 8 | 37% | 11 of 19 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 1 | 0 | 3:50 |
| Rob Font | 0 | 0 of 6 | 0% | 9 of 15 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:45 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cory Sandhagen | 34 of 84 | 40% | 30 of 79 | 2 of 3 | 2 of 2 | 10 of 47 | 0 of 1 | 24 of 36 |
| Rob Font | 9 of 49 | 18% | 5 of 43 | 2 of 3 | 2 of 3 | 8 of 44 | 0 of 3 | 1 of 2 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cory Sandhagen | 8 of 26 | 30% | 6 of 23 | 1 of 2 | 1 of 1 | 5 of 19 | 0 of 1 | 3 of 6 |
| Rob Font | 5 of 22 | 22% | 2 of 18 | 1 of 1 | 2 of 3 | 4 of 17 | 0 of 3 | 1 of 2 | |
| 2 | Cory Sandhagen | 7 of 15 | 46% | 6 of 14 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 1 | 1 of 7 | 0 of 0 | 6 of 8 |
| Rob Font | 0 of 7 | 0% | 0 of 7 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 7 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | |
| 3 | Cory Sandhagen | 10 of 24 | 41% | 9 of 23 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 2 of 14 | 0 of 0 | 8 of 10 |
| Rob Font | 4 of 10 | 40% | 3 of 9 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 4 of 10 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | |
| 4 | Cory Sandhagen | 6 of 11 | 54% | 6 of 11 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 3 | 0 of 0 | 5 of 8 |
| Rob Font | 0 of 4 | 0% | 0 of 4 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 4 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | |
| 5 | Cory Sandhagen | 3 of 8 | 37% | 3 of 8 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 4 | 0 of 0 | 2 of 4 |
| Rob Font | 0 of 6 | 0% | 0 of 5 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 6 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Sandhagen (-330), Font (+240)
Round 1
Jason Herzog is the official for the night’s catchweight headliner. Sandhagen shoots for a takedown within 15 seconds and succeeds. Font grabs a guillotine, and Sandhagen tries to discourage it with some upward elbows. Sandhagen escapes, and now Font is threatening with a kimura. It works as hoped because he is able to sweep. Back standing, Sandhagen tags Font with a stiff straight shot. Font lands a jab and then an uppercut. Sandhagen lands a nicely-timed double-leg takedown. Font creates space and Sandhagen leaps in with a right as his foe attempts to stand. Font clings to a leg, but Sandhagen assumes top position. Sandhagen is in half guard now, landing some right hands to the side of the head. Font uses the butterfly guard to create some space, and he’s up. Font lands a leg kick but comes up short on a combination. Sandhagen throws a body kick, but Font catches it and shoves his man to the floor. Font works to the back and lands a knee to the body before Sandhagen stands at the horn.
Sherdog Scores
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Sandhagen
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Sandhagen
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Sandhagen
Round 2
Font pressures early with punches. Another quick takedown for the Elevation Fight Team product, and he moves to half guard. Sandhagen drives his forearm into Font’s face and lands a short elbow. Font looks to utilize the butterfly guard to create space, but Sandhagen floats above him. The Nashville crowd is getting restless with the grappling-heavy affair. Sandhagen maintains top position at the halfway mark of the round. Font is getting close, but he can’t quite execute the sweep. Sandhagen lands another short elbow. Sandhagen keeps Font’s leg hooked in half guard and continues to control the action from above. Sandhagen fires another short elbow at his foe’s head. Font is neutralizing the majority of Sandhagen’s offense from his back, but that’s about all he’s doing. Sandhagen drops another elbow before the end of the round as boos rain down at the horn.
Sherdog Scores
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Sandhagen
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Sandhagen
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Sandhagen
Round 3
Font angles out and lands a glancing right hand. The fighters trade jabs. A right uppercut gets through for Font, and Sandhagen answers with a switch knee. Shortly thereafter, Sandhagen encounters little resistance on his takedown, drawing more boos from the Nashville fans. Sandhagen lands a couple shoulder strikes from above. He shoves Fonts head down and follows with a short elbow. Sandhagen continues to work from half guard. Font looks to isolate an arm for a sweep, but Sandhagen is able to free himself. Font nearly scrambles up but Sandhagen dives back into top position with some effective ground-and-pound. Sandhagen stays heavy and connects with an elbow. A hammerfist and an elbow land for Sandhagen. Font is finally able to get to his feet with 35 seconds left and Sandhagen launches a flying knee that lands on the chest. Font lands a right before the end of the frame.
Sherdog Scores
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Sandhagen
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Sandhagen
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Sandhagen
Round 4
Font pressures with a combination early and Sandhagen threatens but misses the mark with a flying knee. The exchange is fleeting, however, as Sandhagen executes another takedown less than 30 seconds in. Font’s defensive grappling keeps him from getting hurt, but he’s not offering much of a threat to return to his feet. Sandhagen sneaks another elbow through. Sandhagen is heavy on top, though he isn’t finding much space to land offense. Font briefly scoots to a seated position, but Sandhagen pulls his legs back out. Heavy shoulder pressure from Sandhagen near the fence. Font sits up, posts an arm and threatens with a guillotine. The crowd chants for Jason Herzog to stand them up, but the veteran official isn’t taking the bait. Font is still fighting to stand, and he’s up, but only for a second as Sandhagen drags him right back down. As time winds down, Sandhagen lands a right and an elbow.
Sherdog Scores
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Sandhagen
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Sandhagen
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Sandhagen
Round 5
It’s desperation time for Font, as it’s a shutout for Sandhagen to this point. Font pressures again with a frot kick and a left hook. Sandhagen answers with a striaght left and a front kick of his own. Font turns the tables and shoots for a takedown. Sandhagen defends against the fence, and Herzog calls for more action. Sandhagen is able to turn his man around, and he dumps Font on the mat once again. Font gets to a seated position, but Sandhagen powers him down. Now Sandhagen has a brabo choke locked in. Font rolls frantically to escape, but Sandhagen maintains his grip. Font recovers half guard and Sandhagen gives up on the maneuver. He continues to keep top position, and Font’s best efforts to scramble are still to no avail. Font moves his guard up in hopes of an armbar, but Sandhagen is in no real danger. He frees himself and ends the round on top. The crowd is not pleased, but it’s a very one-sided victory for Sandhagen.
Sherdog Scores
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Sandhagen (50-45 Sandhagen)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Sandhagen (50-45 Sandhagen)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Sandhagen (50-45 Sandhagen)
The Official Result
Cory Sandhagen def. Rob Font via Unanimous Decision (50-45, 50-45, 50-45) R5 5:00
Angelo picks Cory Sandhagen, citing his active striking, fluid combinations, and solid BJJ. He notes that Rob Font is a gritty boxer with a solid chin but lacks power and is on the back nine of his career. Angelo believes Sandhagen will make it a true MMA fight by mixing in wrestling, and that the catchweight benefits Sandhagen as the larger fighter. He also points out that Font is stepping up on short notice and that Sandhagen dominated Chito Vera, who is more dangerous than Font.
Big Brady is very confident in Sandhagen, citing Rob Font's age (36), short notice, and accumulated damage from recent fights like the Marlon Vera beating where Font was dropped multiple times. He believes Sandhagen's diverse striking and submission threat will overwhelm Font, and that Font's durability has declined. He predicts Sandhagen will either dominate to a 50-43 decision or become the first to knock Font out, possibly with a head kick or knee.
Cody picks Sandhagen due to his blend of striking and takedowns, plus a full camp preparing for Umar Nurmagomedov. He notes Font's short notice and history of being dropped (five times in two fights) as vulnerabilities. Cody believes Sandhagen can mix in takedowns and strike effectively, though he acknowledges Font's elite striking and volume. He also mentions betting Sandhagen by knockout at +225.
Daniel Levi is confident in Cory Sandhagen, citing his evolution into a well-rounded fighter with improved wrestling and durability. He notes Sandhagen's killer resume and recent performances against Song Yadong and Chito Vera as evidence of his growth. Levi believes Sandhagen's fight IQ and length will be key, and that he will avoid trading in the pocket with Font's dangerous jab. He sees Sandhagen as a future title contender and expects him to shine in the main event.
James is very confident Sandhagen dominates. He thinks Sandhagen can do whatever he wants—strike, takedown, submit, or knock out Font. He believes Font's chin is done and predicts a knockout in the second or third round. He notes Sandhagen's dynamism and one-shot power.
Sandhagen has an unorthodox style that blends wrestling and striking, and he's made for five rounds. Font has a great comeback win over Yanez, but Sandhagen's style will be too unorthodox for Font to get going. Sandhagen eats damage well and counters effectively. The fight likely goes the distance, so over 4.5 rounds is my favorite prop, but Sandhagen gets his hand raised. The line is too wide to bet heavily, and there is value on Font at these odds.
Paul agrees with Cody, citing Sandhagen's full camp and wrestling advantage. He notes Font's short notice and chin issues, but expects a competitive fight if it goes the distance. Paul leans towards Sandhagen by knockout, though he respects both fighters.
The host picks Cory Sandhagen confidently, calling him a cerebral, diverse striker in his prime. He believes Sandhagen will pick Font apart with superior technique and defense. He notes Font is 36 and while dangerous, Sandhagen is a better mixed martial artist. He predicts a unanimous decision but does not rule out a head kick knockout. He recommends Sandhagen as a parlay piece and expects the line to rise.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cory Sandhagen | 0 | 58 of 158 | 36% | 73 of 177 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0:09 |
| Marlon Vera | 0 | 128 of 280 | 45% | 187 of 378 | 3 of 12 | 25% | 0 | 0 | 7:08 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cory Sandhagen | 0 | 5 of 13 | 38% | 12 of 22 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Marlon Vera | 0 | 32 of 69 | 46% | 47 of 99 | 1 of 2 | 50% | 0 | 0 | 2:30 | |
| 2 | Cory Sandhagen | 0 | 6 of 15 | 40% | 9 of 18 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Marlon Vera | 0 | 18 of 29 | 62% | 55 of 84 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 2:50 | |
| 3 | Cory Sandhagen | 0 | 20 of 56 | 35% | 20 of 56 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Marlon Vera | 0 | 32 of 67 | 47% | 32 of 67 | 0 of 2 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:03 | |
| 4 | Cory Sandhagen | 0 | 13 of 38 | 34% | 13 of 38 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Marlon Vera | 0 | 24 of 67 | 35% | 24 of 67 | 0 of 3 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:08 | |
| 5 | Cory Sandhagen | 0 | 14 of 36 | 38% | 19 of 43 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:09 |
| Marlon Vera | 0 | 22 of 48 | 45% | 29 of 61 | 1 of 4 | 25% | 0 | 0 | 1:37 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cory Sandhagen | 58 of 158 | 36% | 28 of 105 | 13 of 29 | 17 of 24 | 53 of 152 | 5 of 5 | 0 of 1 |
| Marlon Vera | 128 of 280 | 45% | 84 of 226 | 16 of 23 | 28 of 31 | 107 of 241 | 2 of 3 | 19 of 36 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cory Sandhagen | 5 of 13 | 38% | 4 of 11 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 2 | 5 of 13 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Marlon Vera | 32 of 69 | 46% | 20 of 55 | 2 of 3 | 10 of 11 | 18 of 41 | 0 of 0 | 14 of 28 | |
| 2 | Cory Sandhagen | 6 of 15 | 40% | 4 of 10 | 0 of 2 | 2 of 3 | 6 of 15 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Marlon Vera | 18 of 29 | 62% | 14 of 24 | 2 of 3 | 2 of 2 | 13 of 22 | 0 of 0 | 5 of 7 | |
| 3 | Cory Sandhagen | 20 of 56 | 35% | 8 of 37 | 4 of 8 | 8 of 11 | 20 of 56 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Marlon Vera | 32 of 67 | 47% | 17 of 48 | 6 of 9 | 9 of 10 | 32 of 67 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | |
| 4 | Cory Sandhagen | 13 of 38 | 34% | 6 of 25 | 4 of 10 | 3 of 3 | 12 of 37 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 |
| Marlon Vera | 24 of 67 | 35% | 19 of 59 | 2 of 4 | 3 of 4 | 23 of 65 | 1 of 2 | 0 of 0 | |
| 5 | Cory Sandhagen | 14 of 36 | 38% | 6 of 22 | 5 of 9 | 3 of 5 | 10 of 31 | 4 of 4 | 0 of 1 |
| Marlon Vera | 22 of 48 | 45% | 14 of 40 | 4 of 4 | 4 of 4 | 21 of 46 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 1 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Sandhagen (-165), Vera (+140)
Round 1
The UFC knew what it was doing when it put this fight together, and made sure fans would appreciate it by moving it from the UFC Apex to an 18,000-seat arena in San Antonio. Bantamweight greatness looms, and Vera (20-7-1, 14-6 UFC) would like nothing more than to put Sandhagen (15-4, 8-3 UFC) away and possibly earn a crack at gold. “The Sandman” is no easy out, having never been stopped with strikes, so a back-and-forth, blood-and-guts battle may loom for the next 25 minutes. Referee Dan Miragliotta is in it for the long haul, and the fighters are ready to handle their business, electing to not bump fists before launching them at one another’s faces. Sandhagen leads off with several range-finding jabs and low kicks, and he punches into Vera’s raised hands. Sandhagen walks “Chito” down and kicks at his lead leg a few times, and Vera absorbs a one-two on the dome while holding off on retaliating. Sandhagen drives Vera back to the wall with a left, and Vera strings two jabs into a chipping kick. Sandhagen works low kicks into jabs, and Vera pushes forth a one-two when “Chito” chants echo throughout the building. Vera hand-fights as Sandhagen walks forward calmly, and he allows Sandhagen to score on him repeatedly. Sandhagen ducks a jab to loose a solid left hook, and Vera takes it on the chin and subsequently absorbs another. Sandhagen bears down on his man with a few punches and a head kick while Vera escapes, and Vera he swats away a few punches that zip at him. Sandhagen leaps at his foe with a jump knee, and Vera parries it and is forced to defend a takedown effort. Sandhagen smoothly trips Vera’s leg out and plants him on his seat, and he postures up and hammers Vera with punches and elbows. Vera closes his guard as he gets shoved to the wall with his neck trapped at the corner of the floor and the fence. Sandhagen pummels “Chito” with elbows, and Vera replies with a few on his back to split open a cut on the top of Sandhagen’s forehead. Sandhagen continues to bombard his downed adversary with elbows as Vera looks to kick him off, but the listless Vera blocks the majority of them and seems content to remain on his back. Sandhagen ends the round with several more pounding elbows.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Sandhagen
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Sandhagen
Jack Dankoff scores the round: 10-9 Sandhagen
Round 2
The bantamweights meet in the middle, and Sandhagen is the aggressor right out of the gate. They trade front kicks, and Vera is backed up to the wall as Sandhagen opens up with a right hand. Vera aims a punch to the body, and he front kicks and chops at Sandhagen’s lead calf a few times to slow him. Sandhagen blitzes with a few uppercuts, and he secures a single-leg takedown and puts “Chito” on his back. Vera defends with a guillotine choke before he even hits his seat, and he releases it without burning his arms out as Sandhagen steps over to half guard. Sandhagen starts to drop down left hands and elbows as Vera is pinned to the floor, and his top control is smothering and frustrating for the Ecuadorian. Vera turns to his side as he eats elbows, and Sandhagen allows him to do that so that he can posture up and drill him with punches. Vera hooks a foot beneath his elbow to flirt with a heel hook, and Sandhagen lowers himself down and takes side control on the side to continue his attack. Vera turns once more, nearly giving up his back as he attempts to escape, and he leans back down when Sandhagen’s elbows start to have an appreciable effect. Sandhagen looks to isolate Vera’s right arm, but he cannot hold it as Vera slides out and explodes to his feet. Vera gets off a front kick to the chest, and he checks a calf kick. They trade jabs, and Sandhagen follows one with an uppercut that gets Vera’s attention. Sandhagen reaches his man with punches on the outside of the guard, and Vera misses when retaliating. Vera catches a body kick, and he lets it go when Sandhagen posts off his other arm and fights back up. Vera walks forward without throwing much in the way of offense, and Sandhagen dodges the strikes that come at him before the bell rings.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Sandhagen
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Sandhagen
Jack Dankoff scores the round: 10-9 Sandhagen
Round 3
“Chito” rushes to the center of the cage to start off, having dropped the first two rounds unquestionably. Vera does not throw as Sandhagen is active from a distance, and he finally chambers and fires a head kick that is blocked. Sandhagen replies with a few long jabs, and Vera answers that with a front kick to the sternum. Vera reaches a left hand over the guard, and it is one-and-done while Sandhagen switches stances constantly and prods with punches and kicks. A blocked from kick from Sandhagen causes him to fall over, and when he climbs back up, Vera meets him with a thudding calf kick that stuns Sandhagen momentarily. Vera stomps the front knee and reaches with his left hand, and he kicks the body. Vera stuffs an oncoming takedown and makes his foe pay with a front kick, but Sandhagen strings together a few punches and a body kick to respond. Vera drills his opponent with a one-two, and Sandhagen walks through it and snaps the head back with an uppercut. As Vera loops a left, Sandhagen changes levels but cannot complete the takedown. Vera pushes off and starts to walk Sandhagen down, and they trade right hands. Sandhagen swipes at him with a clean left hook, and Vera tries to give him one back but Sandhagen is faster and beats him to the punch. They both get off front kicks in an exchange, and Vera goes up high with a kick that slams into the shoulder. Vera jabs to the body, and Sandhagen’s looping uppercut finds its home again. Vera swings while Sandhagen fires punches at him, and they miss while Sandhagen’s rangier blows connect. “Chito” jumps forward with a front kick, and he stalks after Sandhagen and has his lead leg kicked for it. At the waning seconds, Vera jumps at his opponent with a knee, but Sandhagen is feet away at the bell.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Sandhagen
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Sandhagen
Jack Dankoff scores the round: 10-9 Sandhagen
Round 4
The championship rounds have been reached, and Sandhagen strikes first with a front kick, and he turns through with momentum to land a spinning back kick. Sandhagen punches his way forward with an uppercut, and he charges for a double. Vera stands him up and dings him with a knee, but Sandhagen tries again and fail once more. When they separate, Sandhagen gets off a few punches before ducking for a double, and Vera’s sprawl is excellent as he remains on his feet. Sandhagen digs a left to the liver and moves actively and frequently to not stand still in front of his opponent. Vera attempts to cut angles and back Sandhagen off, but “The Sandman” connects with several punches and has a flying knee bounce of Vera’s raised arms. Vera lands one single jab, and Sandhagen strings three punches and a low kick together – but the kick is checked. Sandhagen jabs, staying elusive and switching stances relentlessly. Vera cannot seem to lock him down or find the timing, and he swings with a left hook that Sandhagen dodges. Vera kicks the calf hard, and that kick is checked. Sandhagen swipes with a left hook, and Vera chains a few punches to the body up to a few to the head. Sandhagen jabs, switches stances, and jabs with the other lead hand, flustering “Chito” with his awkward movement and timing. Sandhagen loops a left over the guard, and he sits down on a low kick that Vera cannot defend. The crowd is extremely restless after the relative lack of action compared to its initial promise, as fans start whistling and holding up illuminated cellphones. Vera is similarly irritated, trying and failing to chase down and corner the Colorado native. Vera reaches his man with a front kick and a left hand, but Sandhagen is able to block the subsequent efforts. Vera spins with a kick before the horn, and the audience is not amused.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Sandhagen
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Sandhagen
Jack Dankoff scores the round: 10-9 Sandhagen
Round 5
The last round of this disappointing – from an action standpoint, not tactically – headliner begins, and Sandhagen is happy to pick up where he left off. Sandhagen pushes the pace a little with a few heavier jabs after Vera lands flush a few times, and he shoots for a takedown. Vera stuffs it and takes a knee square in the midsection. Vera is tripped out and tackled to the mat, and he tries to throw up upkicks and may have landed an illegal blow to a grounded Sandhagen in the process. Sandhagen fights off a high guard and submission setup, and he allows Vera to roll laterally so that he can lower himself into the guard. Sandhagen is comfortable taking top position, and Vera kicks him in the chest and gets away with another slapping foot to the downed Sandhagen’s face. Vera explodes to his feet at the midpoint of the final frame, and Sandhagen lines up several punches to back Vera off. “Chito” tosses out a half-hearted leg kick, and he turns to fire one to the body. Vera knocks Sandhagen back with two punches, but “The Sandman” is not concerned as he gets right back to pressuring the pressure fighter. Sandhagen keeps changing stances and jabbing and poking at Vera with feet and fists, and he dodges and parries the lumbering but looping punches that come at him. Vera jumps forward with a left hook, and Sandhagen replies in kind. Vera reaches at the end of a jabbing punch, only to be met with Sandhagen’s short combination. Sandhagen kicks high off the guard, and Vera spins with a kick to the ribs. Vera pressures, and he staves off a rushing double. Vera catches a kick and slams his foot into the body from an odd angle, and he takes Sandhagen from behind and pushes him to the wall. Vera connects with a solid elbow, and he pours it on with high kicks from both legs, swinging punches and kicks, and anything else he can muster. Instead of throwing this all during the first 24-plus minutes of the match, Vera saved it for one final, desperate effort, and Sandhagen blocks or dodges the worst of it. As Vera charges like a bull, Sandhagen points at him, and the last horn blows to put an end to the less-than-thrilling main attraction. In his post-fight interview, Sandhagen states that he would “feel slimy” if he asked for a title shot over Merab Dvalishvili, so he prepares a line and challenges the Georgian to a fight. If that comes together, we will be here for it. Next week, there is a break from the UFC – but there will be Fight Circus, so stay tuned for coverage on that – and we return on April 8 with UFC 287. We will also be for here for that, and we hope you are too.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Sandhagen (50-45 Sandhagen)
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Sandhagen (50-45 Sandhagen)
Jack Dankoff scores the round: 10-9 Sandhagen (50-45 Sandhagen)
The Official Result
Cory Sandhagen def. Marlon Vera via Split Decision (47-48, 50-45, 49-46)
Angelo picks Sandhagen because he is younger, durable, and has a versatile striking style with sneaky power. He notes that Vera's recent wins came against older, declining fighters like Rob Font, Dominic Cruz, and Frankie Edgar, and that Sandhagen is a different challenge. He believes Sandhagen's weird movements and toughness will neutralize Vera's power, and that Vera's habit of losing early before finding a finish won't work against Sandhagen. He admits he has never correctly picked a Vera fight but thinks this is where Vera's luck runs out.
Big Brady picks Marlon Vera as a dog, arguing that while Sandhagen is the better overall fighter with more volume and movement, Vera is a 'moment winner' who can land big shots and sway judges. He notes Vera's ability to get outstruck but still win rounds by landing damaging blows, as seen in the Rob Font fight. Brady believes Vera has 25 minutes to find Sandhagen's chin and predicts a fourth-round knockout, though he acknowledges a close decision is possible.
Cody picks Sandhagen based on pure volume and fast starting ability. He notes Sandhagen lands a high number of significant strikes (169 vs Yanez, 128 vs Dillashaw) and that Vera is a slow starter who often drops the first round. He believes Sandhagen will bank the early rounds and win a decision, though he acknowledges Vera's durability and late-round finishing ability. He suggests betting Sandhagen by decision to improve the line.
Connor sees Sandhagen as a heavily upgraded version of the opponents Vera has been beating (Rob Font, Dominick Cruz). He believes Sandhagen's durability, conditioning, adaptability, and elusive defense will be too much for Vera's 'anti-process' style. He compares it to Yoel Romero vs Robert Whittaker, suggesting Sandhagen is Vera's Whittaker.
Jacob picks Vera, noting that he was a former hater but converted after Vera beat Rob Font. He argues that Vera is excellent at making reads over time and capitalizing, and that Sandhagen is hittable because he stands in front of opponents and doesn't move his head. He thinks Sandhagen's toughness means he gets hit, and Vera's power at bantamweight is a serious threat. He predicts Vera will find a shot and finish Sandhagen, possibly by submission in the third round.
The host believes Sandhagen is the best puzzle for Vera since his winning streak, citing Sandhagen's ability to keep up with Vera's cardio and put together a full MMA game. He notes Sandhagen is defensively responsible enough to avoid big strikes and can tie Vera up in the clinch if needed. He expects Sandhagen to get off his own game from distance and allow the judges to see it in his favor, predicting Sandhagen wins by decision despite possibly dropping a round or two.
The Guru picks Sandhagen over Vera, arguing that Sandhagen is much better than Vera's recent opponents like Cruz and Font. He highlights Sandhagen's diverse attack (leg kicks, body shots, takedowns) and toughness, believing he can avoid Vera's power and win a decision. He notes Vera's ability to find finishes but thinks Sandhagen's movement and durability will carry him.
Zane picks Sandhagen because Vera is scary but has recent losses to Jose Aldo and Song Yadong. He notes Sandhagen is harder to track and predict than Font or Cruz, and Vera's clinch wrestling is less of a threat than Dillashaw's. He expects Sandhagen to be elusive enough to win, though Vera could steal rounds with damage.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cory Sandhagen | 0 | 94 of 222 | 42% | 130 of 259 | 1 of 14 | 7% | 0 | 0 | 3:47 |
| Song Yadong | 0 | 54 of 145 | 37% | 130 of 224 | 2 of 2 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 1:39 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cory Sandhagen | 0 | 19 of 52 | 36% | 30 of 63 | 0 of 3 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:46 |
| Song Yadong | 0 | 14 of 28 | 50% | 23 of 37 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 0:55 | |
| 2 | Cory Sandhagen | 0 | 21 of 52 | 40% | 24 of 55 | 0 of 4 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:48 |
| Song Yadong | 0 | 15 of 44 | 34% | 36 of 65 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 | |
| 3 | Cory Sandhagen | 0 | 29 of 63 | 46% | 30 of 64 | 0 of 5 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:32 |
| Song Yadong | 0 | 13 of 48 | 27% | 26 of 61 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 | |
| 4 | Cory Sandhagen | 0 | 25 of 55 | 45% | 46 of 77 | 1 of 2 | 50% | 0 | 0 | 1:41 |
| Song Yadong | 0 | 12 of 25 | 48% | 45 of 61 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 0:44 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cory Sandhagen | 94 of 222 | 42% | 62 of 186 | 17 of 21 | 15 of 15 | 86 of 213 | 5 of 6 | 3 of 3 |
| Song Yadong | 54 of 145 | 37% | 36 of 125 | 13 of 15 | 5 of 5 | 44 of 132 | 10 of 13 | 0 of 0 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cory Sandhagen | 19 of 52 | 36% | 10 of 43 | 7 of 7 | 2 of 2 | 18 of 50 | 1 of 2 | 0 of 0 |
| Song Yadong | 14 of 28 | 50% | 9 of 23 | 3 of 3 | 2 of 2 | 11 of 24 | 3 of 4 | 0 of 0 | |
| 2 | Cory Sandhagen | 21 of 52 | 40% | 14 of 43 | 2 of 4 | 5 of 5 | 19 of 50 | 2 of 2 | 0 of 0 |
| Song Yadong | 15 of 44 | 34% | 11 of 39 | 4 of 5 | 0 of 0 | 11 of 40 | 4 of 4 | 0 of 0 | |
| 3 | Cory Sandhagen | 29 of 63 | 46% | 21 of 54 | 3 of 4 | 5 of 5 | 27 of 61 | 2 of 2 | 0 of 0 |
| Song Yadong | 13 of 48 | 27% | 8 of 42 | 3 of 4 | 2 of 2 | 13 of 48 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | |
| 4 | Cory Sandhagen | 25 of 55 | 45% | 17 of 46 | 5 of 6 | 3 of 3 | 22 of 52 | 0 of 0 | 3 of 3 |
| Song Yadong | 12 of 25 | 48% | 8 of 21 | 3 of 3 | 1 of 1 | 9 of 20 | 3 of 5 | 0 of 0 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Sandhagen (-195), Song (+165)
Round 1
with top-five ramifications, serves as the only match between ranked competitors on this 13-fight billing. Sandhagen (14-4, 7-3 UFC) took nearly a year off after his failed bid for the interim 135-pound strap, while Song (19-6-1, 1 NC; 8-1-1 UFC) is a younger man on the rise at 24 years of age. Receiving the honor of reffing the final fracas of the night is Herb Dean, who laces up his running shoes to keep up with these two fist-first fighters. Before throwing down, the two slap hands and bump fists with the intention of keeping things on the up-and-up. Sandhagen starts out switching stances multiple times in the opening seconds, and he punches his way into a takedown attempt. He bowls Song into the wall, but there is no takedown to come from it. Song defends with a few knees up the middle, and one bumps into the cup. Sandhagen tells Dean he is good to go and does not want to lose position, and they do not break. Song pushes off with a pair of hooks, and gets backed with a jab to the body. Sandhagen spins with a wheel kick that bounces off the guard, and he falls to the mat. Song does not follow him, and he lets Sandhagen stand up so that he can drill him with a left hand. They clinch up, and Song elbows once to force a separation. Sandhagen bullies his way into a takedown effort, and Song bowls him over and puts Sandhagen on his back. Sandhagen plays guard off his back, setting up a possible submission, and then bailing on it all to stand up. “Kung Fu Kid” remains on his back, and he grabs hold of a rear-naked choke to force Sandhagen to lower himself to the ground. Sandhagen gets out of the sticky situation by wriggling out, and they tie up against the wire. Sandhagen elbows hard, and he ducks back right before two big punches reach him. Sandhagen winds up with a loud liver kick, and Song takes it flush without batting an eye. They trade jabs, and a fake takedown try forces a sprawl that makes Song fall to his knees. Sandhagen lets him up and starts piercing the guard with jabs, and he blocks the follow-up counters that fly his way. Another fake takedown draws an exaggerated defensive reaction from his opponent, and Sandhagen lets him up to jab his way to the end of the round.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Song
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Song
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Song
Round 2
The fighters are amped up to get back to it, and Dean clocks them in and has to step back fast. Song advances straight ahead, and Sandhagen is moving side to side while jabbing. Sandhagen leaps in the air with a knee that misses, and he gets struck with a straight right hand down the pipe. Sandhagen scores a low kick and keeps his jab in Song’s face, and Song jumps through it with a power left hand. Sandhagen snaps the head back with a jab, and Song sits down on a left hand that makes Sandhagen stagger back to the wall. Sandhagen gathers his thoughts and goes after another flying knee, but it is not there for him. He does throw to the head and body to mix things up as he gets his wits about him, and he changes levels to take Song down. Song scrambles ahis way upright again and makes his man pay with a short right hand, and they clank heads when coming together. Song grins with delight as an elbow from Sandhagen tears open a cut on the corner of his eye, and blood leaks down a little but does not seem to bother him. Sandhagen pushes in for a takedown, and crimson liquid starts flowing into the eye. Sandhagen rails his man with an elbow before breaking from the clinch, and Song’s eye is a busted mess. Sandhagen backs away and unloads with a liver kick, and he keeps jabbing until Song plods forward with a three-punch salvo. Song throws with fire, and Sandhagen just barely rolls through it and lands a pair of low kicks. “Sandman” dips and ducks the power punches that come at him, and he even lets a flying knee soar past him. Sandhagen plants a front kick on the chin and chains a leg kick into it, and Song smiles but does not connect with anything in response. Three punches from Song come up short, with his depth perception possibly struggling due to the plasma coating his eye. A clinch leads to an explosion from Song, who loads up on several big punches one after the other. Sandhagen responds with his own combination, and the knee pops Song in the chops right before the horn blares. The cut on Song’s eye could be a fight-ender, so it remains to be seen how the doctor evaluates it.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Sandhagen
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Sandhagen
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Sandhagen
Round 3
The doctor tells Dean to keep an eye on the cut, but he is letting the fight continue into the third round. Song walks right into a body kick, and he replies in kind but it has less impact. Sandhagen kicks the lead leg and escapes out the side when Song sits down on a counter, and both men block high kicks. Sandhagen remains active with low kicks, and he ducks a massive haymaker of a right hand and shoots in on a takedown. Song stuffs it and clubs him with a left hand, and Sandhagen grits his teeth and retreats. Their heads clash together as Sandhagen attempts another takedown, and Song stops it in its tracks and makes Sandhagen pay with a trio of powerful punches. Sandhagen answers him with a step-in knee, and Song eats it like Szechuan beef and keeps on forging ahead. Song swings and misses with a salvo, and Sandhagen slides back and jabs a few times to cause the cut to start bleeding again. Song punches his way forward, but Sandhagen is the one who tags him with a few jabs. Sandhagen takes for a takedown to get a reaction, and then actually attempts one. Song gets shoved back to the wall, and scarlet fluid covers his face and turns it a brilliant shade. Song stings Sandhagen with a left hand, only for Sandhagen to nail him with an elbow. A takedown try from “Sandman” is staved off, and he brushes off a striking array that zooms at him. Sandhagen has a kick pound into the guard, and he snaps out a jab that causes Song to spit blood out. Sandhagen skirts on the outer edge of the cage as Song tries to cut him off, and it allows him to stay at his preferred range. Song bowls forward throwing hammers, and Sandhagen slips them and pokes him back with a few jabs. Song is prepared for a takedown entry from his opponent, but he absorbs a few jabs that chain into a left to the body. Sandhagen gets a flying knee through the guard, and blood is positively streaming down Song’s face. Once again, the doctor will have to make a tough call.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Sandhagen
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Sandhagen
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Sandhagen
Round 4
Dean is informed by the doctor that should any more damage come around the eye, he needs to call the fight to protect Song from permanent damage. Song is thankful to keep going, and he loads up on several power strikes including a body kick and several strikes to the body. A response of a body kick from Sandhagen and two punches open it again, and Dean is watching it very closely. Sandhagen goes up high with a kick, and Song blocks and counters. Sandhagen marches forward with jabs from both arms as he switches stances, and he kicks the body. Song catches it and powers through it to trip “Sandman” up and take him to the mat. Plasma flows freely on Sandhagen’s face and into his mouth, and he explodes back to his feet and gets pushed back to the wire. Sandhagen spins him around and trips Song out. Song climbs back up, but he takes a head kick when he does. Song wings haymakers and catches Sandhagen, but Sandhagen is quick and accurate with jabs and straight punches. Sandhagen targets the wrecked eye with impunity, and Song gives chase and barely registers that his eyebrow is nearly hanging off his head. Sandhagen mixes up jabs and kicks, and Song’s power punches are telegraphed and largely hitting air. Song smiles when he takes punishment, and even though he dodges a few punches, Sandhagen goes the body and head. A single from Sandhagen succeeds in getting Song down to his seat, and he grinds his elbow on the cut. Blood streams from Song’s face, covering the mat with a dark red pool beneath his head. Sandhagen postures up with a few elbows, and Song practically laughs at him, giving his best “you don’t know where I’ve been, Lou” impression while on his back, drenched in hemoglobin. The horn sounds, and he cannot see out of his eye when he stands up.
The cutman tries to tend to the gash, but it is beginning to swell and it appears to be the type that even the most “just bleed” physician could not allow to continue. The doctor, who cleared Song to fight in Rounds 3 and 4, informs Dean that he does not like what he is seeing from the massacred eye of the 24-year-old. Dean does not hesitate, and he waves the fight off after hearing this, to save the youngster from long-lasting harm that could develop further with five more minutes of brutality.
This is a gruesome but fitting end to a violent and sanguine evening, one that comes with a week off to process all that transpired over the last few weeks. The UFC will return in October, and when it does, we will be here for it. We hope you are too.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Sandhagen
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Sandhagen
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Sandhagen
The Official Result
Cory Sandhagen def. Yadong Song R4 5:00 via TKO (Doctor Stoppage)
Angelo leans Sandhagen primarily because of his five-round experience and ability to recover from bad rounds. He notes that Sandhagen is a fluid striker with good combinations and BJJ, but he lacks takedown volume. Angelo is not confident and thinks the odds are wide. He considers a plus points bet on Yadong.
Big Brady picks Cory Sandhagen to win by decision. He argues that Sandhagen is the better striker overall with higher volume (6.42 significant strikes per minute) and has fought much tougher competition (Yan, Dillashaw, Sterling). Brady notes that Sandhagen has never been knocked out and has excellent striking defense. He believes Song Yadong's power is a threat, but Sandhagen's durability and output should carry him to a decision win. Brady also mentions that this is Song's first five-round fight, which could be a factor. He is surprised by the public support for Song as a dog.
Cody agrees Sandhagen is the more refined fighter with better cardio and versatility. He highlights Sandhagen's wrestling improvements since the Sterling loss and his ability to maintain high output. Cody thinks Song's lack of five-round experience and tendency to slow down will be exploited. He calls Sandhagen a good top ticket play but not the most confident pick on the card.
Daniel Levi picks Song Yadong at plus 175 odds, placing one unit on him. He believes Song has enough output to make his harder shots count against Sandhagen's volume, and that the fight could be close enough for Song's power strikes to sway judges. He notes Sandhagen's year off and potential ring rust, and thinks the odds should be closer. He respects Sandhagen but sees value in the underdog.
Jacob picks Yadong, comparing his style to Petr Yan's and noting that Yadong is faster and more powerful now at 24. He believes Yadong's speed and power will close the distance and land big shots, potentially knocking down Sandhagen. Jacob thinks Yadong is peaking at the right time and can win by decision or finish.
Sandhagen is the master of distance and will make Song whiff, tiring him out. Sandhagen's footwork and in-and-out movement will keep him out of the pocket where Song's power is most dangerous. Sandhagen's cardio is superior for five rounds, and he has been training BJJ with Ryan Hall to add submission threats. Song's best path is leg kicks or an early knockout, but Sandhagen's style is a tough puzzle for Song at this stage. I expect Sandhagen to take over as the fight goes on and win a decision.
Paul thinks Sandhagen's five-round experience against TJ Dillashaw and Petr Yan is a huge advantage. He notes Sandhagen's durability and high output will be key, as Song Yadong is a counter puncher who will struggle with Sandhagen's volume. Paul believes Sandhagen will outwork Song over five rounds, though he acknowledges Song's power and youth make it not a lock. He also likes the under 4.5 rounds at plus money.
The MMA Guru picks Cory Sandhagen by decision. He acknowledges Song Yadong is an underrated prospect but notes Yadong has struggled against rangy, mobile strikers who switch stances, like Kyler Phillips and Casey Kenny. He believes Sandhagen is too good, too rangy, and too smart, and will take over as the fight goes on. He expects Sandhagen to lose the first round but win the last three or four rounds, with scorecards like 48-47 or 49-46.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Petr Yan | 1 | 149 of 270 | 55% | 158 of 280 | 0 of 2 | 0% | 1 | 1 | 1:09 |
| Cory Sandhagen | 0 | 169 of 445 | 37% | 172 of 449 | 1 of 6 | 16% | 0 | 1 | 0:20 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Petr Yan | 0 | 19 of 37 | 51% | 19 of 37 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Cory Sandhagen | 0 | 37 of 85 | 43% | 39 of 87 | 0 of 2 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:10 | |
| 2 | Petr Yan | 0 | 38 of 65 | 58% | 40 of 67 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:05 |
| Cory Sandhagen | 0 | 45 of 113 | 39% | 45 of 113 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:00 | |
| 3 | Petr Yan | 1 | 36 of 57 | 63% | 41 of 63 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 1 | 0:40 |
| Cory Sandhagen | 0 | 37 of 86 | 43% | 37 of 87 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 1 | 0:07 | |
| 4 | Petr Yan | 0 | 36 of 67 | 53% | 38 of 69 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0:24 |
| Cory Sandhagen | 0 | 25 of 83 | 30% | 26 of 84 | 1 of 3 | 33% | 0 | 0 | 0:03 | |
| 5 | Petr Yan | 0 | 20 of 44 | 45% | 20 of 44 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Cory Sandhagen | 0 | 25 of 78 | 32% | 25 of 78 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Petr Yan | 149 of 270 | 55% | 100 of 217 | 27 of 29 | 22 of 24 | 135 of 252 | 7 of 9 | 7 of 9 |
| Cory Sandhagen | 169 of 445 | 37% | 118 of 389 | 28 of 32 | 23 of 24 | 168 of 443 | 1 of 2 | 0 of 0 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Petr Yan | 19 of 37 | 51% | 4 of 21 | 4 of 4 | 11 of 12 | 17 of 35 | 2 of 2 | 0 of 0 |
| Cory Sandhagen | 37 of 85 | 43% | 21 of 68 | 6 of 6 | 10 of 11 | 36 of 83 | 1 of 2 | 0 of 0 | |
| 2 | Petr Yan | 38 of 65 | 58% | 23 of 50 | 8 of 8 | 7 of 7 | 36 of 63 | 2 of 2 | 0 of 0 |
| Cory Sandhagen | 45 of 113 | 39% | 30 of 95 | 9 of 12 | 6 of 6 | 45 of 113 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | |
| 3 | Petr Yan | 36 of 57 | 63% | 29 of 49 | 5 of 6 | 2 of 2 | 28 of 46 | 1 of 2 | 7 of 9 |
| Cory Sandhagen | 37 of 86 | 43% | 29 of 78 | 4 of 4 | 4 of 4 | 37 of 86 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | |
| 4 | Petr Yan | 36 of 67 | 53% | 28 of 59 | 8 of 8 | 0 of 0 | 34 of 64 | 2 of 3 | 0 of 0 |
| Cory Sandhagen | 25 of 83 | 30% | 20 of 77 | 4 of 5 | 1 of 1 | 25 of 83 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | |
| 5 | Petr Yan | 20 of 44 | 45% | 16 of 38 | 2 of 3 | 2 of 3 | 20 of 44 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Cory Sandhagen | 25 of 78 | 32% | 18 of 71 | 5 of 5 | 2 of 2 | 25 of 78 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogRound 1
Even though the UFC bantamweight belt traded hands less than eight months ago, the interim strap is now up for grabs when ex-champ Yan (15-2, 7-1 UFC) gets another crack at gold against fellow recently defeated Sandhagen (14-3, 7-2 UFC). This will be the first title fight in UFC history where both challengers are coming off a loss, but the excitement is still palpable. Even referee Jason Herzog is pumped up about this potential 135-pound thriller, and the fighters do not want to touch gloves as they would rather use their fists to slug the other in the face. Yan takes the center of the cage, eager to come out firing, but he stops short of throwing anything when Sandhagen sticks a jab in his face. Sandhagen scores a leg kick, and chants in support of Yan rain down through the arena. Sandhagen continues to work the lead leg with accurate strikes, and he pegs the ball of his foot to the sternum to surprise Yan. Yan walks him down but is getting kept at bay with effective kicks. One such kick makes Yan do a slight turn, and Yan’s left hand is cocked back with nowhere to go. The strikes from Sandhagen are effective enough to thwart much of the offense of his opponent, but a left hook from Yan partially gest through. Sandhagen works the body, and he gets poked in the eye and rubs it out as Yan offers a glove touch apology. Yan lands a kick to the body, and Sandhagen returns with a left to the liver. Yan succeeds with a leg kick, and Sandhagen swarms him with a salvo of punches. The American catches his foe off-guard by changing levels and threatening with a sudden takedown. Although he does not get Yan down, he makes Yan think about one more element. They both land to the body when they get free, and Yan scores a left hand counter as Sandhagen lands from afar. Sandhagen punctuates combinations with leg kicks, with his volume being the difference maker so far in the opening frame. Yan keeps his fingers outstretched and nearly pokes Sandhagen in the eye again, but Sandhagen fights through it. Sandhagen pressures his foe with a long string of punches, landing without putting everything behind every blow. When Yan guards high, Sandhagen goes low. Yan walks Sandhagen down but gets tagged in response, and the ex-champ scores a solid pair of leg kicks. Sandhagen ducks down for a single, and Yan nails him with an elbow over the top to force them to separate. Sandhagen eats a leg kick and jumps in the air with a knee, and this fast-paced round ends as Herzog warns Yan for his fingers pointed straight out.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Sandhagen
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Sandhagen
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Sandhagen
Round 2
The second round begins as Yan loads up on power strikes, with a few leg kicks to start on the calf. Yan backs off and stomps down with a kick, and Sandhagen punches his way in to a combination. Sandhagen delivers some damage to the body, but Yan is right there to do the same with his own salvo of strikes. Sandhagen counters several Yan strikes so that he can slap him in the face with a kick. Yan gets stung with a strike from his opponent, and he loads up with a right hand that rocks Sandhagen for a moment. “Sandman” appears no worse for wear, although his body is getting marked up as he is getting red all over – this may be simply from the lightness of his complexion, and not that he is absorbing an unusual amount of punishment. Sandhagen slides out of the way from looping punches from the former champ, and he gets off several punches to back him off. Sandhagen stands in front of his opponent and decks him with a few punches. Yan spins after absorbing a blow to spin with a back fist, and the blocked impact is still substantial. Both men land with fast punches, and Yan goes to the body with kicks while Sandhagen attacks the lead leg. A low single from Sandhagen gets stuffed, and Yan defends with a guillotine choke setup before elbowing Sandhagen to make him step off. Sandhagen leaps in the air with a knee that clatters off Yan’s guard, and he sticks Yan and moves with several jabs. Sandhagen stays on his bike as Yan is looking for a home run right hand, although the American does absorb a crisp left hand. The round is quite close, and it ends as they stare the other down.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Yan
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Yan
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Yan
Round 3
The third frame commences as Sandhagen lands on the outside with kicks. When he lands one, Yan tries to pay him back, and Sandhagen checks it hard to make Yan wobble back as it seemed to hurt badly. Yan recovers well enough to spin with a back kick to the body, and Sandhagen pays it no mind as he lances through Yan’s guard with straight right hands. Sandhagen has a few more punches penetrate Yan’s shell of a high guard, before going low with kicks. Yan keeps his fingers pointed towards his opponent despite the warnings of Herzog. Yan swings for the fences, only for Sandhagen to duck and tag him with a counter left hook. “Sandman” resets and puts two punches together into a leg kick, and Yan checks this one. Yan appears to slap Sandhagen in the side of his head with an open palm, and Sandhagen is fired up from this as he pressures Yan and lands several blows. Yan manages to snap Sandhagen’s head back, but the American dodges most of the remainder of the barrage. Sandhagen’s head movement keeps him safe from harm, and Sandhagen keeps a safe range and consistently lands on his opponent from afar. Whether jabs or low kicks, Sandhagen continues to keep Yan from unloading his most dangerous combinations. A pair of power punches from Yan gets Sandhagen’s attention, and he nails Sandhagen with a few more punches. Suddenly, Yan follows a punch with a spinning back fist and a left hook that knocks Sandhagen off his feet, and Yan chases him down to the ground to try to pound him out. The scrambles for Sandhagen allow him to not take much damage or fall into submission danger, but Yan is constantly fishing for something or trying to get strikes off. When they finally get back up, Yan lands with a big left hand and Sandhagen back off but takes a knee to the body to end the round.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Yan
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Yan
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Yan
Round 4
The first championship round begins as Sandhagen appears to have gotten his bearings about him. Yan is the aggressor, throwing big strikes at his opponent in hopes of dropping him again. Sandhagen has a flying knee blocked, and he goes back to his successful strategy of making Yan miss as he tags him from out far. Sandhagen appears to get clipped with a left hand, but he shakes it off and just dodges two windmilling punches that whiz by him. Two punches from Sandhagen get countered with much heavier blows from the former champ, and he puts a front kick to the body to get Yan to back off for a moment. Yan is staying in Sandhagen’s face, kicking him to the body and going up top with power punches that knock Sandhagen’s head back. The power advantage remains firmly on the side of the Russian, and Sandhagen recognizes this and shoots in for a takedown. This time, Sandhagen hits it, and Yan is aware and threatens with a leg lock from his back. The submission forces Sandhagen to scramble, and they both stand up. Sandhagen again shoots for a low single, but this time he decides to get off some standing elbows. A spinning back fist from Sandhagen makes Yan laugh, and the Russian Terminator that is Yan stalks Sandhagen down and works him to the body. The punches make Sandhagen bounce off the cage, as he has timed Sandhagen’s movement and counter effectively. Sandhagen counters a spinning back fist with short elbows, but Yan blasts him in the face with a few punches that force Sandhagen to attack a takedown. When Yan stuffs him, Sandhagen does not instantly get back up, instead holding on to Yan’s leg perhaps in an effort to take a breath. Sandhagen has a punch transition into an elbow, and a knee he throws is not fast enough to get through the guard. Yan gives chase as Sandhagen’s hands are down by his side, and the boxing range is where the round concludes.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Yan
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Yan
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Yan
Round 5
Sandhagen talks to his foe between rounds, and he keeps this intensity going when the round begins by sticking his hand in Yan’s face repeatedly. None of the punches have much behind them, as Sandhagen is careful to not stay anywhere for long so that he does not eat a big power punch. When he stays in one place, Yan lands a left hand and a leg kick that spins him around. When Sandhagen comes back around, he lands an inside leg kick that makes a thud sound. Yan winds up with a left hand that scores right on the nose, and he fakes with a left hand so that he can get off a body kick. Yan ignores a leg kick so that he can close in and get off a big left hand, and Sandhagen reacts and escapes. The offense largely falls off a cliff as Sandhagen stays on his bike, while Yan swings for the air. Sandhagen pushes in for a takedown after a body kick, and he lands a few jabs on the way out. Yan slings a head kick that appears to blast Sandhagen in the face as clean as can be, and Sandhagen just looks at him and raises his arms in the air like a Diaz brother. Sandhagen sticks out a few jabs and stays far enough away from the big shots of his opponent, and Yan is consistently giving chase but not able to connect with much of note. Yan does land one to take three, and he connects at the end of a right when Sandhagen escapes. The American dodges a spinning back fist this time, and he keeps moving and gets a jump knee through. Two punches and a spinning wheel kick from Sandhagen bounce off his shoulder, and he again throws his hands up and runs at Yan to tag him with another flying knee. The two bantamweights swing it out to the bell, and when it sounds, the crowd is so excited by the final exchange, they cannot hear it. Instead, they keep on throwing everything they have until Herzog leaps in and just misses absorbing a significant strike or two. They shake hands after 25 minutes of action, and Yan has likely won the de facto number one contender belt -- the interim title, as it were -- and a rematch with Aljamain Sterling.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Sandhagen (48-47 Yan)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Sandhagen (48-47 Yan)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Sandhagen (48-47 Yan)
The Official Result
Petr Yan def. Cory Sandhagen Via Unanimous Decision (49-46, 49-46, 49-46)
Big Brady picks Petr Yan to win a competitive decision. He notes both are great strikers, but Yan has the edge in boxing and can mix in takedowns. Sandhagen's takedown defense is a weakness (65% on paper, but was lower before the Dillashaw fight). Yan's wrestling and control time should be the difference. He expects a close fight but Yan edges it out.
Cody is high on Petr Yan, calling him a 'terminator' with cardio, striking, and underrated wrestling. He notes Yan has scored takedowns in his last six fights, including against Aljamain Sterling and Jose Aldo. He thinks Yan's wrestling will be the difference against Sandhagen, who can be taken down. He suggests betting Yan live for a better price but is confident Yan wins.
Daniel picks Petr Yan to defend his title, calling him a top-five pound-for-pound fighter. He highlights Yan's well-roundedness, cardio, and ability to lull opponents into a false sense of security before dropping them. Daniel notes Yan's takedown success against Jose Aldo and Aljamain Sterling, and believes Sandhagen's clinch issues and tendency to give up his back will be exploited. He predicts a fourth-round TKO.
Sandhagen's volume and output from distance will be Yan's kryptonite. Yan prefers to strike but Sandhagen throws 16.5 strikes per minute from outside and has the cardio to maintain it. Yan's takedowns are a threat, but he doesn't usually grapple heavily. Sandhagen wins a volume-based decision.
Paul agrees with Cody, adding that playing Yan live is risky because Yan might get an early takedown and the line will move to -400. He thinks Sandhagen's only chance is if it's a pure striking match, but Yan's wrestling will be the difference. He sees Yan as the clear side.
The MMA Guru picks Petr Yan to win by TKO in the later rounds. He highlights Yan's grappling, especially when taking the back, and notes that Sandhagen gives up his back frequently. He thinks Yan will catch kicks, sweep, and take Sandhagen down. He questions Sandhagen's KO power, noting his recent finishes were against chinny opponents. He predicts Yan will be patient, chop at the legs, and eventually finish Sandhagen in the fourth or fifth round.
Marlon Vera - Fight History
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marlon Vera | 0 | 42 of 145 | 28% | 52 of 156 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:04 |
| David Martínez | 0 | 71 of 155 | 45% | 86 of 173 | 2 of 4 | 50% | 0 | 0 | 1:43 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Marlon Vera | 0 | 5 of 39 | 12% | 13 of 48 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| David Martínez | 0 | 19 of 41 | 46% | 26 of 51 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 0:45 | |
| 2 | Marlon Vera | 0 | 13 of 40 | 32% | 14 of 41 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| David Martínez | 0 | 21 of 43 | 48% | 29 of 51 | 1 of 2 | 50% | 0 | 0 | 0:45 | |
| 3 | Marlon Vera | 0 | 24 of 66 | 36% | 25 of 67 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:04 |
| David Martínez | 0 | 31 of 71 | 43% | 31 of 71 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:13 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marlon Vera | 42 of 145 | 28% | 26 of 113 | 11 of 21 | 5 of 11 | 41 of 142 | 1 of 3 | 0 of 0 |
| David Martínez | 71 of 155 | 45% | 48 of 126 | 16 of 20 | 7 of 9 | 67 of 148 | 1 of 2 | 3 of 5 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Marlon Vera | 5 of 39 | 12% | 0 of 30 | 2 of 4 | 3 of 5 | 5 of 39 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| David Martínez | 19 of 41 | 46% | 10 of 28 | 5 of 7 | 4 of 6 | 16 of 36 | 0 of 0 | 3 of 5 | |
| 2 | Marlon Vera | 13 of 40 | 32% | 10 of 32 | 1 of 4 | 2 of 4 | 13 of 40 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| David Martínez | 21 of 43 | 48% | 13 of 33 | 6 of 8 | 2 of 2 | 21 of 43 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | |
| 3 | Marlon Vera | 24 of 66 | 36% | 16 of 51 | 8 of 13 | 0 of 2 | 23 of 63 | 1 of 3 | 0 of 0 |
| David Martínez | 31 of 71 | 43% | 25 of 65 | 5 of 5 | 1 of 1 | 30 of 69 | 1 of 2 | 0 of 0 |
Angelo picks David Martínez, criticizing Marlon Vera as a fighter who often does nothing and then complains about decisions. He highlights Martínez's movement, volume, and defensive stats, and believes he will outwork Vera. He warns against betting on Vera as a dog, calling it a trap.
Big Brady picks David Martínez, citing Marlon Vera's apparent lack of effort in recent fights. He notes Vera has shown no urgency against top competition and lost to Ian Zahabi. Martínez is young, hungry, and fast, and Brady believes he will win by decision, continuing Vera's frustrating streak.
Cody is concerned about Martinez taking a round off against Font and the high price. He sees split decision potential and notes Vera's durability and experience. However, he leans Martinez due to Vera's recent poor form and age, but suggests live betting Vera if he loses the first round.
Connor also picks Martinez but is more cautious, noting that Vera is a dangerous puncher who can hurt anyone. He points out that Martinez has not faced someone with Vera's power and could get knocked out. However, Connor believes Vera's tendency to let fights slip away and his declining athleticism will allow Martinez to win rounds with volume and pressure.
Daniel does not discuss this fight in the transcript.
The host considers this a dog-or-pass fight. Martínez is a heavy favorite at -294, but the host cannot bet him at that price. He notes that Vera has been passive and lost his last five decisions, and Martínez has home advantage. However, Vera is dangerous if he shows up, but the host hates betting on passive fighters. He passes.
James favors Martínez due to his superior footwork, kicking game, and volume, which should trouble Vera's forward pressure. He notes Vera's durability and power but believes Martínez can outpoint him over three rounds. James predicts a decision win for Martínez and suggests betting on Martínez by decision as a prop.
The host picks David Martínez by decision, citing his slick striking, speed, and cardio. He believes Martínez will stick and move effectively, while Vera is reckless and a slow starter. He notes Vera's durability but expects Martínez to outland him and win a clear decision, similar to the Sean O'Malley fight but less dominant.
Paul likes Martinez's speed and kickboxing, and believes he passed the Rob Font test. He notes Vera's slow starts and recent decline, but is not excited about the -310 price. He expects a close decision but picks Martinez to get the job done.
The MMA Guru picks David Martínez, stating that Marlon Vera has looked inactive and frustrated since his loss to Sean O'Malley. He praises Martínez's chin, explosiveness, low kicks, and movement, noting that he beat Rob Font. He believes Vera is done as a fighter and that Martínez will outwork him.
Zane picks Martinez because Vera is on a three-fight losing streak and his style is falling apart. He notes that Vera's process was always dysfunctional, relying on late surges, and now he lacks the speed and durability to make it work. Martinez showed toughness against Rob Font and has the volume and pressure to outwork Vera, though Zane acknowledges Vera's power is a threat.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marlon Vera | 1 | 56 of 152 | 36% | 56 of 153 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:03 |
| Aiemann Zahabi | 0 | 81 of 152 | 53% | 81 of 152 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Marlon Vera | 0 | 11 of 40 | 27% | 11 of 40 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Aiemann Zahabi | 0 | 20 of 37 | 54% | 20 of 37 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 | |
| 2 | Marlon Vera | 1 | 21 of 50 | 42% | 21 of 51 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:03 |
| Aiemann Zahabi | 0 | 24 of 44 | 54% | 24 of 44 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 | |
| 3 | Marlon Vera | 0 | 24 of 62 | 38% | 24 of 62 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Aiemann Zahabi | 0 | 37 of 71 | 52% | 37 of 71 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marlon Vera | 56 of 152 | 36% | 30 of 107 | 14 of 26 | 12 of 19 | 55 of 150 | 1 of 2 | 0 of 0 |
| Aiemann Zahabi | 81 of 152 | 53% | 47 of 107 | 20 of 28 | 14 of 17 | 79 of 149 | 2 of 3 | 0 of 0 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Marlon Vera | 11 of 40 | 27% | 3 of 25 | 4 of 9 | 4 of 6 | 11 of 40 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Aiemann Zahabi | 20 of 37 | 54% | 11 of 26 | 5 of 7 | 4 of 4 | 19 of 36 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 | |
| 2 | Marlon Vera | 21 of 50 | 42% | 13 of 35 | 4 of 9 | 4 of 6 | 21 of 49 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 |
| Aiemann Zahabi | 24 of 44 | 54% | 16 of 34 | 6 of 8 | 2 of 2 | 23 of 42 | 1 of 2 | 0 of 0 | |
| 3 | Marlon Vera | 24 of 62 | 38% | 14 of 47 | 6 of 8 | 4 of 7 | 23 of 61 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 |
| Aiemann Zahabi | 37 of 71 | 52% | 20 of 47 | 9 of 13 | 8 of 11 | 37 of 71 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Zahabi (-130); Vera (+110)
Round 1
On his first losing streak since 2018, “Chito” Vera (23-10-1, 15-9 UFC) might lose his place in line with another defeat. He will have to stave off the surging Ariel Helwani—that is, Tristar Gym’s Zahabi (13-2, 7-2 UFC). The three-round bantamweight affair will draw the assignment of referee Jason Herzog, and the fight begins with the athletes going right for it.
Vera is the aggressor, pitching a head kick while walking the Canadian down. Zahabi gets away with a low kick, and chants of his surname rain down in the building. Kicks continue to come from both sides as range-finders, but neither man drills the other with anything clean. Vera tries to go upstairs with his shin, and Zahabi blocks it well in time. Zahabi chambers and fires an inside leg kick to decent success, and he parries a jumping front kick that is the response. Vera stomps at the knee of his opponent, and he stutter-steps his way forward with a high kick. Vera then punches his way into another head kick effort, to which Zahabi chops his foe’s lead leg back. Left hooks are traded by the bantamweights, and Zahabi’s defensive shell protects him from the worst of the oncoming fire.
Zahabi splits the guard with a jab and follows with a right, and Vera greets him back with another calf kick. “Chito” reaches the body with a knee, and his low kick is soon to follow. Zahabi marches forward and lets his hands go, reaching his foe with a left but backing off when Vera starts to rev up his own engine. Vera chains a front kick into two leg kicks, one on either side of Zahabi’s front wheel. Zahabi rushes after the Ecuadorian, pulling back when Vera pump-fakes a knee. Vera sticks out an elbow that opens up Zahabi’s nose, which starts dripping down his face. “Chito” attacks with swinging kicks, and his knee is flashing at the right time to prevent Zahabi from bearing down on him. Zahabi bites down on his mouthpiece to engage, and he walks through a body kick to swing two big right hands. Vera backs him off with an elbow up top, and the close round ends with a Zahabi body kick.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Vera
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Vera
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Zahabi
Round 2
Between rounds, a replay shows that Vera is struggling with his ring finger on his left hand. When the bell starts the second stanza, adrenaline kicks back in and he closes his fist to throw it. Zahabi starts off aggressively, walking into a left hand so that he can bash Vera in the lead leg with a kick. Vera retaliates with a high kick that slaps off the guard, and he loops a right hand around the raised guard. Vera stomps down low with his kick and whips a left hand at the Canadian, and he catches a body kick to whip a pair of punches at his foe. Vera chains a front kick into a pair of punches, and he stans Zahabi up with a step-in elbow. When he tries for a knee, Zahabi intercepts him before getting air with a right hand. Body kicks land from both men, and Vera staggers his opponent with a piston-like jab. Zahabi bounces off the fence and rolls to grab the fence several times to pull himself upright, and Herzog appears to miss the fouls. Zahabi gets up, and Vera stalks him down like a predator following wounded prey.
Vera connects with a pinpoint accurate jab, and this time Zahabi does not flinch. Vera rips a left to the liver after going up top, and he has nothing to fear with absolutely zero offense coming back his direction. Vera whips a question mark kick up around the guard, and he strides through to drill Zahabi with long punches. Vera appears to let the damaged man off the hook, even with his Superman punch partially connecting. Vera scores a high kick and tries for a knee to the breadbasket, and Zahabi is back in full swing and swings with full force. Zahabi backs Vera up to the wall with looping punches, and Vera rebounds off the wall and appears no worse for wear. Vera ducks down to let a punch bang into the top of his skull, and he eats a knee to the body. The Canadian appears angered, letting loose with one-twos. Vera stifles him briefly with a kick to the knee, and when the horn sounds, they stand right in front of each mean-mugging until Herzog has to split them up.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Vera
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Vera
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Vera
Round 3
Vera says hello in the final round with a head kick attempt. Zahabi drives him back with his own try, so Vera boots him with a hook kick. He then checks a kick coming his direction, and preemptively counters his opponent with a left hook right before Zahabi throws. Zahabi scores a hard low kick that draws a stance switch from the Ecuadorian, and the two trade it out from up close. Zahabi gains some space and kicks the side, and he keeps spinning with a back fist that misses by a mile. Vera showboats with the matador pantomime, but he has to keep his guard up because Zahabi is bearing down on him. Vera busts Zahabi’s nose back open with a flush knee, and it is no longer just dripping a wee bit. Zahabi chomps down on his gumshield and lets fly kicks and wide punches, and Vera rebounds off the wire and guard most of them to reset. Vera then scores a left hand to the temple, and he is met with a body kick. Vera intercepts his man with a check left hook, and Zahabi jacks him in the jaw with a front kick.
The two go shot-for-shot as they bash, bruise and bloody one another, with Vera looking for a step-in knee as Zahabi retaliates with an elbow. Vera pops his man with a left hand, spurring Zahabi into kicks from both legs. Vera kicks low, and he is caught upstairs with a right hand and further stung with a leg kick. “Chito” does not bat an eye and instead lashes out with his own offense, and Zahabi attacks his front leg repeatedly. Zahabi doubles up on straight left hands, and Vera’s low kick lands with a pop and slips a left hand around the guard. Vera is backed up from the offense of his adversary, with Zahabi blitzing forward and finally drawing blood on the bridge of Vera’s nose. Vera does not even register the damage, instead getting right back in Zahabi’s face with fists and feet. “Chito” just misses with an axe kick, and the fight could still be hanging in the balance with 15 seconds to go. Vera lands a leg kick, and Zahabi races forward and gets clipped. They both go nuts with one final brawl, hitting one another in the chin with everything they have left. The round ends, and both corners lift their fighters up in the air to celebrate a tight, brutal slugfest.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Zahabi (29-28 Vera)
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Zahabi (29-28 Vera)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Zahabi (29-28 Zahabi)
The Official Result
Aiemann Zahabi def. Marlon Vera via Split Decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Angelo slightly leans Chito Vera, noting his durability, volume, and ability to win in scrambles. He questions Zahabi's win streak, calling the Aldo win lucky and the Basharat win a robbery. He worries about Vera's slow starts in three-round fights and potential chin decline.
Big Brady is unsure which version of Vera shows up. He thinks if Vera is motivated, he can win with his striking and elbows. He notes Vera always loses the first round but could steal rounds two and three. He picks Vera by close decision, acknowledging the fight has split decision written all over it.
Cody picks Zahabi, citing Marlon Vera's slow starts and accumulated damage. He notes Vera has been hit over 1600 times in the UFC and is slowing down. Zahabi's high volume, precision, and methodical game plan will allow him to win rounds. Cody expects Zahabi to win by decision.
Connor picks Vera, but with hesitation. He notes that Vera is a slow-paced fighter who lets opponents rally early, then becomes more aggressive in later rounds. Connor thinks Zahabi will give Vera no choice but to get aggressive, and Vera's durability and power could pay off. However, he acknowledges that Vera's style doesn't deserve to win rounds and that Zahabi could be one of the fighters who works around it.
James calls this a close fight and struggles to pick a winner. He favors Zahabi due to the Canadian crowd and potential judging bias, as seen in Zahabi's win over Jose Aldo. He notes Vera's durability and cardio advantages but questions Vera's recent form and damage taken. James predicts a split decision for Zahabi.
The host thinks Vera's aggressive style will be too much for Zahabi, who prefers to sit back at distance and counter. He expects Vera to continuously push forward with aggressive output, leading to a late finish or a decision win.
Paul leans Zahabi, noting his volume and precision. He mentions Vera's slow starts and that Zahabi is Canadian, which could help in a close decision. Paul expects a close fight but gives the edge to Zahabi.
The MMA Guru picks Aiemann Zahabi over Marlon Vera. He criticizes Vera's recent performances, calling him a punching bag and easy to game plan against. He praises Zahabi's team and game planning, and his toughness shown against Aldo. He predicts Zahabi will use takedowns and clean striking to win a clear decision, 30-27.
Zane picks Vera, but hesitantly. He notes that Vera's style is not built to win rounds, but he is dangerous and can rally in later rounds. Zane thinks Zahabi's physical limitations may catch up to him against elite talent, and Vera's power and durability could be the difference. However, he acknowledges Zahabi's impressive win over Aldo and his unique ability to fight off both front and back foot.
This fight was originally scheduled but Chito Vera dropped out. The matchup was replaced with Mario Bautista vs Patchy Mix. Angelo does not discuss the original matchup at all, so no pick is made.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deiveson Figueiredo | 0 | 52 of 117 | 44% | 67 of 136 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:08 |
| Marlon Vera | 1 | 45 of 90 | 50% | 59 of 104 | 2 of 14 | 14% | 0 | 0 | 2:30 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Deiveson Figueiredo | 0 | 8 of 18 | 44% | 21 of 35 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Marlon Vera | 0 | 10 of 12 | 83% | 22 of 24 | 2 of 3 | 66% | 0 | 0 | 2:20 | |
| 2 | Deiveson Figueiredo | 0 | 18 of 40 | 45% | 19 of 41 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:05 |
| Marlon Vera | 0 | 14 of 28 | 50% | 14 of 28 | 0 of 6 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:00 | |
| 3 | Deiveson Figueiredo | 0 | 26 of 59 | 44% | 27 of 60 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:03 |
| Marlon Vera | 1 | 21 of 50 | 42% | 23 of 52 | 0 of 5 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:10 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deiveson Figueiredo | 52 of 117 | 44% | 15 of 67 | 15 of 22 | 22 of 28 | 46 of 108 | 6 of 9 | 0 of 0 |
| Marlon Vera | 45 of 90 | 50% | 18 of 57 | 15 of 20 | 12 of 13 | 42 of 84 | 1 of 2 | 2 of 4 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Deiveson Figueiredo | 8 of 18 | 44% | 2 of 10 | 1 of 1 | 5 of 7 | 6 of 14 | 2 of 4 | 0 of 0 |
| Marlon Vera | 10 of 12 | 83% | 3 of 5 | 2 of 2 | 5 of 5 | 8 of 9 | 0 of 0 | 2 of 3 | |
| 2 | Deiveson Figueiredo | 18 of 40 | 45% | 1 of 17 | 5 of 9 | 12 of 14 | 17 of 39 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 |
| Marlon Vera | 14 of 28 | 50% | 4 of 15 | 5 of 7 | 5 of 6 | 13 of 27 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 | |
| 3 | Deiveson Figueiredo | 26 of 59 | 44% | 12 of 40 | 9 of 12 | 5 of 7 | 23 of 55 | 3 of 4 | 0 of 0 |
| Marlon Vera | 21 of 50 | 42% | 11 of 37 | 8 of 11 | 2 of 2 | 21 of 48 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 1 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Figueiredo (-155), Vera (+130)
Round 1
Set in the “featured fight of the night” slot instead of the co-main event as would be reasonable, bantamweight strikers Vera (23-9-1, 15-8 UFC) and Figueiredo (23-3-1, 12-3-1 UFC) do not care much about card position as long as they can hit someone today. Vera has never been finished as a pro, while “Daico” has not lost since relocating to 135 pounds. “Fight of the Night” could be right around the corner, and referee Keith Peterson is will make sure no nonsense comes between them. Eager to throw leather, they ignore a glove touch and meet in the middle of the cage. Vera measures his range with a low kick, and he lands another on the calf to briefly disrupt the balance of his foe. Figueiredo fires one right back, leading Vera to punch the ball of his foot at Figueiredo’s knee. Figueiredo kicks the inner thigh and may have grazed the cup, but there is no pause. Figueiredo strikes his way into distance, and Vera uses a solid left hand to back him off. Figueiredo chops at the front leg, and he digs a right to the body and dips a punch to hit a takedown. Vera closes his guard and keeps tight wrist control to stop the Brazilian from striking him from above. Figueiredo frees his arms for a moment and drops down a heavy hammerfist, stacking Vera up so he can attempt to break out of the leg grip around his waist. Vera lifts his guard up higher, and this allows Figueiredo to land some ground strikes. Figueiredo stands back up to find a better way in, and Vera smacks him in the face with an upkick. This results in a furious scramble where Vera works his way back to his feet, and Figueiredo follows. Vera starts stalking the former flyweight king down, whipping out a high kick and protecting his jaw from a leaping left hand. Figueiredo winds up with a fierce low kick, and Vera flinches when Figueiredo fakes a second. Vera scores a jab and leaps forward with a knee, and Figueiredo scoops him off his feet and dumps him to the ground, landing in half guard and opening up with elbows right off the bat. Figueiredo drives home an elbow or two before the round concludes.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Figueiredo
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Figueiredo
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Figueiredo
Round 2
The second round begins with a low kick from Figueiredo, and he checks a kick back his way and whips one to the ribs. Vera clashes forward with a left hand, and he doubles up on leg kicks. Figueiredo hops back and forth, swatting Vera with a left hook. Vera attempts a head kick, and Figueiredo ducks down to go for a takedown, so Vera recoils it. Vera pushes out front kicks to the leg, and Figueiredo retaliates with a liver kick. Vera overswings, and Figueiredo threatens a takedown, abandons it and comes over the top with a right hand. Vera sticks a front kick to the solar plexus, and he low kicks his way in with a jab. Figueiredo ducks low for a takedown, and the Ecuadorian shoves him away and delivers a heavy low kick as Figueiredo backs off. Vera pierces the guard with a left hand, and Figueiredo punches him in the body. Vera does not like it, giving him a rude gesture because he thought it landed low. Figueiredo attempts a takedown, and Vera hops away and resets with a jab. Figueiredo zings a left over the top, and they trade leg kicks. Vera scores a front kick after checking a kick, and Figueiredo connects with a right hook. Figueiredo doubles up on a jab and comes out firing with a right hand, and Vera is ready for it. They go tit-for-tat with strikes, neither having a serious advantage, and Figueiredo tries for a takedown that results in him banging his forehead on his opponent’s. Vera kicks his way into a tie-up, and he connects with a body shot before the bell. Figueiredo protests about something after the bell, and Peterson gets between them to usher them back to their corners.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Vera
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Vera
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Vera
Round 3
Figueiredo starts the last round aggressively, shooting in for a takedown that is rebuffed by his opponent courtesy of a guillotine. Vera kicks at him, and Figueiredo grabs the leg and hops back to the fence to defend it. Vera breaks free, and he flicks out a few jabs. Figueiredo jabs him right back, and he shrugs off a calf kick to deliver a similar response. Figueiredo stabs a right hand to the body, leans back and takes a low kick. Vera follows a ducking Figueiredo with an uppercut, and he blitzes forward to land a pair of punches. Figueiredo triples up on strikes, and Vera parries and escapes. Vera comes up short on a head kick, and Figueiredo kicks him in the ribs before aiming a right to the lower chest. Figueiredo aims a left to the body and another, and he has a front kick push him back and gets picked at from a leg kick. Figueiredo sits down on a straight right hand, shaking the Ecuadorian to his core and setting him on his seat. Vera climbs back up to his feet, and Figueiredo beans him with a right up top and a left to the ribcage. The Brazilian has a fire lit under his belly, aiming single accurate strikes that land flush, and Vera aims to quell that fire with his own body shot response. Figueiredo takes his time rather than selling out on offense, and he rifles a right hand to the sternum. Vera connects with a heavy leg kick, and Figueiredo does the same in response. Figueiredo ducks a looping left hand in pursuit of a takedown, and Vera stands him up and is caught with a right hand. Figueiredo shoots in on the hips, and Vera sprawls effectively, backs the Brazilian off and kicks him in the body. Vera jabs his way in and spins with a wheel kick that buzzes past his opponent, and Figueiredo flirts with two takedowns that both fail thanks to Vera’s stalwart defense. The attempts shut down Vera’s combinations, and “Daico” fakes another that makes Vera drop to his knees. Figueiredo grins and starts throwing hands in the pocket, catching Vera and eating a right hand back. Vera goes to the liver, and Figueiredo waves him on. This initiates a brief brawl, and they end up in a Thai clinch and think about knees. Vera finds another way in with a knee, and when he lands on the mat, Figueiredo times an uppercut to sting Vera right at the bell.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Figueiredo (29-28 Figueiredo)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Figueiredo (29-28 Figueiredo)
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Figueiredo (29-28 Figueiredo)
The Official Result
Deiveson Figueiredo def. Marlon Vera via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
Angelo picks Figueiredo because he expects him to use wrestling to neutralize Vera's durability and momentum. He notes Vera is a slow starter and Figueiredo only needs to win one of the first two rounds. He thinks Figueiredo saw Vera eat a huge knee and will avoid striking exchanges.
Big Brady thinks this fight could go either way and has split decision written all over it. He notes both fighters are low-volume moment winners, but Vera has never been finished while Figueiredo has been finished in two of three losses. He mentions Vera often loses the first round, suggesting a live bet opportunity, but ultimately picks Vera to win by split decision.
Cody picks Marlon Vera as a slight underdog, citing Figueiredo's tendency to gas and Vera's pressure and pace. He notes that Figueiredo has low volume and relies on takedowns, but Vera is a larger bantamweight who scrambles well and can break him. Cody worries about Vera giving up the first round but thinks he can take over in the second and third. He also mentions that Figueiredo's last flyweight fight was poor and he's been out struck at 135.
Daniel picks Chito Vera but with hesitation due to Vera's inconsistency. He notes that Vera performs best against shorter opponents and has the durability and toughness to outlast Figueiredo. However, he worries about Vera's tendency to not let his hands go. He thinks Figueiredo has slowed down on the feet and that Vera can win if he shows up, but acknowledges it's a hit-or-miss proposition.
Figueiredo's overall style will triumph. He will use calf kicks to open up takedowns and land enough damage to grind out a decision win.
Paul picks Deiveson Figueiredo, noting that Vera gives up first rounds and in a three-round fight that's hard to overcome. He thinks Figueiredo can mix in wrestling and win the first two rounds. Paul acknowledges Vera's pressure could break Figueiredo but leans toward the former champion's early output. He also mentions the line has moved and that Vera was a bigger underdog earlier.
The MMA Guru picks Deiveson Figueiredo over Marlon Vera, believing Figueiredo is a level above in striking and will mix in grappling. He notes Vera's poor takedown defense and inability to get up. He expects Figueiredo to control the first two rounds on the ground and win a 29-28 decision. He mentions Figueiredo's improved cardio at bantamweight.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sean O'Malley | 0 | 230 of 356 | 64% | 232 of 358 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:03 |
| Marlon Vera | 0 | 89 of 241 | 36% | 89 of 241 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sean O'Malley | 0 | 27 of 36 | 75% | 27 of 36 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Marlon Vera | 0 | 9 of 21 | 42% | 9 of 21 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 | |
| 2 | Sean O'Malley | 0 | 51 of 83 | 61% | 51 of 83 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Marlon Vera | 0 | 16 of 46 | 34% | 16 of 46 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 | |
| 3 | Sean O'Malley | 0 | 35 of 58 | 60% | 35 of 58 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:03 |
| Marlon Vera | 0 | 17 of 54 | 31% | 17 of 54 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 | |
| 4 | Sean O'Malley | 0 | 56 of 84 | 66% | 57 of 85 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Marlon Vera | 0 | 26 of 73 | 35% | 26 of 73 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 | |
| 5 | Sean O'Malley | 0 | 61 of 95 | 64% | 62 of 96 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Marlon Vera | 0 | 21 of 47 | 44% | 21 of 47 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sean O'Malley | 230 of 356 | 64% | 150 of 268 | 61 of 68 | 19 of 20 | 227 of 352 | 3 of 4 | 0 of 0 |
| Marlon Vera | 89 of 241 | 36% | 41 of 165 | 14 of 35 | 34 of 41 | 85 of 235 | 4 of 6 | 0 of 0 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sean O'Malley | 27 of 36 | 75% | 7 of 14 | 10 of 12 | 10 of 10 | 27 of 36 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Marlon Vera | 9 of 21 | 42% | 1 of 7 | 1 of 5 | 7 of 9 | 9 of 21 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | |
| 2 | Sean O'Malley | 51 of 83 | 61% | 36 of 66 | 11 of 12 | 4 of 5 | 51 of 83 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Marlon Vera | 16 of 46 | 34% | 7 of 29 | 0 of 5 | 9 of 12 | 16 of 46 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | |
| 3 | Sean O'Malley | 35 of 58 | 60% | 21 of 43 | 13 of 14 | 1 of 1 | 35 of 58 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Marlon Vera | 17 of 54 | 31% | 7 of 39 | 4 of 8 | 6 of 7 | 17 of 53 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 | |
| 4 | Sean O'Malley | 56 of 84 | 66% | 42 of 70 | 11 of 11 | 3 of 3 | 56 of 84 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Marlon Vera | 26 of 73 | 35% | 15 of 56 | 5 of 11 | 6 of 6 | 26 of 72 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 | |
| 5 | Sean O'Malley | 61 of 95 | 64% | 44 of 75 | 16 of 19 | 1 of 1 | 58 of 91 | 3 of 4 | 0 of 0 |
| Marlon Vera | 21 of 47 | 44% | 11 of 34 | 4 of 6 | 6 of 7 | 17 of 43 | 4 of 4 | 0 of 0 |
Angelo picks Marlon Vera as a dog, noting that underdogs have won five of seven main events in 2024. He thinks Vera's durability and power will be key, as O'Malley is a counter striker who may not engage. He also mentions the Miami crowd may favor Vera. He suggests betting the over on rounds.
Big Brady picks Sean O'Malley to win by decision, but is not feeling great about it. He notes that O'Malley is the better striker with more volume and accuracy, but worries about the later rounds as O'Malley has never been past three rounds. He believes Vera needs a knockout to win, and O'Malley should do enough to win a decision.
Cody believes O'Malley has improved significantly since the first fight, especially in managing space and distance. He thinks O'Malley will win on volume, similar to the Chris Moutinho fight, but acknowledges that Vera is durable and could come on late. He respects Vera but sticks with O'Malley as the pick, though he won't bet the moneyline.
Daniel leans towards O'Malley to defend his belt, but he has significant concerns about O'Malley's durability and cardio. He notes that O'Malley will likely light up Vera early, but worries that O'Malley may gas out from beating on Vera, allowing Vera to take over late. Daniel references O'Malley's fatigue in the second round against Yan and Vera's proven durability and finishing ability. He also mentions that Vera's camp issues don't sway him. Ultimately, he picks O'Malley but calls it a 'dog or pass' betting situation.
Daniel Vreeland picks Sean O'Malley, emphasizing that O'Malley has improved his footwork and ability to cut angles. He notes that O'Malley's cerebral approach allows him to set traps, as he did against Aljamain Sterling. Vreeland argues that Vera fights by downloading information and then exploding, but O'Malley controls what Vera sees. He believes Vera's habit of giving up early rounds is dangerous against a finisher like O'Malley. Vreeland concludes that O'Malley is the better striker, longer, more explosive, and younger.
Jeff Fox picks Sean O'Malley, noting that Vera is essentially the same fighter as in their first fight while O'Malley has improved significantly. He highlights O'Malley's improved footwork and ability to cut angles, as seen in the Aljamain Sterling fight. Fox also praises O'Malley's cerebral game, setting traps and controlling what his opponent sees. He believes Vera gives up early rounds and then has to press, which plays into O'Malley's hands. Fox is confident that O'Malley's striking, length, and youth will lead to a win.
O'Malley is the better technical striker with great fight IQ and trap-setting ability. He showed discipline and patience in his win over Sterling. However, Vera has never been knocked down in the UFC and is a slow starter who thrives in five-round fights. O'Malley may not get the early knockout, and if Vera finds his groove late, it could be competitive. I still pick O'Malley to win by decision, as his striking wizardry should allow him to outwork Vera over 25 minutes. I am passing on betting this fight due to the -300 line and Vera's durability.
Paul highlights Vera's slow-starting nature but five-round cardio and durability. He notes that O'Malley has not been tested in late rounds and that Vera's pressure and toughness will allow him to take over in rounds 3-5. He also points to a trend of underdogs winning main events recently and Vera's life-changing motivation.
The MMA Guru picks Sean O'Malley, predicting a boring fight where O'Malley uses low kicks and range to outpoint Vera. He argues O'Malley's feints are more dangerous because he can actually land the strikes he feints. He believes Vera will struggle to land his power shots and O'Malley will win a clear decision, possibly with a robbery if close. He notes O'Malley's underrated chin and better movement in the larger cage.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marlon Vera | 0 | 141 of 251 | 56% | 141 of 251 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Pedro Munhoz | 0 | 113 of 246 | 45% | 113 of 246 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Marlon Vera | 0 | 39 of 66 | 59% | 39 of 66 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Pedro Munhoz | 0 | 38 of 71 | 53% | 38 of 71 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:00 | |
| 2 | Marlon Vera | 0 | 49 of 84 | 58% | 49 of 84 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Pedro Munhoz | 0 | 45 of 91 | 49% | 45 of 91 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 | |
| 3 | Marlon Vera | 0 | 53 of 101 | 52% | 53 of 101 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Pedro Munhoz | 0 | 30 of 84 | 35% | 30 of 84 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marlon Vera | 141 of 251 | 56% | 109 of 212 | 9 of 14 | 23 of 25 | 138 of 246 | 3 of 4 | 0 of 1 |
| Pedro Munhoz | 113 of 246 | 45% | 53 of 177 | 20 of 28 | 40 of 41 | 111 of 244 | 2 of 2 | 0 of 0 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Marlon Vera | 39 of 66 | 59% | 27 of 51 | 3 of 5 | 9 of 10 | 38 of 64 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 1 |
| Pedro Munhoz | 38 of 71 | 53% | 14 of 44 | 8 of 11 | 16 of 16 | 38 of 71 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | |
| 2 | Marlon Vera | 49 of 84 | 58% | 37 of 71 | 2 of 3 | 10 of 10 | 49 of 84 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Pedro Munhoz | 45 of 91 | 49% | 23 of 64 | 7 of 11 | 15 of 16 | 45 of 91 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | |
| 3 | Marlon Vera | 53 of 101 | 52% | 45 of 90 | 4 of 6 | 4 of 5 | 51 of 98 | 2 of 3 | 0 of 0 |
| Pedro Munhoz | 30 of 84 | 35% | 16 of 69 | 5 of 6 | 9 of 9 | 28 of 82 | 2 of 2 | 0 of 0 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Vera (-198), Munhoz (+164)
Round 1
The UFC made the best of a rough situation when Henry Cejudo withdrew from this matchup against Vera (20-8-1, 14-7 UFC). With about a month to prepare, Munhoz (20-7, 2 NC; 10-7, 2 NC UFC) is more than ready to rise to the occasion and battle it out tooth-and-nail for 15 hard minutes. Neither man has ever been finished, so referee Herb Dean could be in it for the long haul. These two action-packed bantamweights meet in the middle with a glove touch, and Vera immediately takes the center of the cage to lord over it. Munhoz strikes first with a body kick, and he chains a leg kick into it. Vera keeps his hands high but Munhoz gets a right hand in, and the two end up clashing shins at the same time. Vera catches a kick and knocks Munhoz down to the ground, and he nearly lands an illegal soccer kick but pulls back at the last second. Munhoz gets right back up, and he starts chasing Vera with looping punches. Munhoz mixes in leg kicks, and Vera pierces the guard with a sharp jab. Both fighters trade front kicks, and Munhoz chips away at him with strikes to the legs and body. Vera ignores a front kick to the midsection and blocks a right hand, and Munhoz comes at him with a head kick that slides off the raised guard. Vera pops out another jab, and he parries the strikes from Munhoz that come his way. Vera connects with a hefty leg kick, and he snaps the head back with a straight left hand. Vera’s jab intercepts “The Young Punisher” crashing the pocket, and he hops back to avoid a body shot. Munhoz shoots in from a distance for a takedown, and Vera stifles it and responds with a jab and a leg kick. Munhoz’ nose is already starting to redden up, and Vera releases a low kick and a one-two. Munhoz charges, and Vera counters him with a knee that rebounds off the forearm of his opponent. Vera strings together three punches that do not find their home, but a jab does when Munhoz chops at his lead heel. Vera lets go with his hands in a short exchange, and Munhoz connects with two thudding left hands over the top. Munhoz fires off a right hook, and Vera replies with a front kick that grazes past his cheek. Munhoz swarms with two punches before changing stances and swinging with one more. Vera lands a leg kick and continues damaging Munhoz’ nose with jabs, and he stops Munhoz from backing him off thanks to his jab. Vera digs a left to the body, and he keeps his jab flowing. Munhoz elects to mimic this with three straight jabs, and leg kicks come from both fighters. Vera checks a leg kick and darts away when Munhoz throws hands, and Vera resets with a front kick and a swatting left hook. The close round ends.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Munhoz
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Munhoz
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Munhoz
Round 2
The bantamweights come together in the middle of the cage, with Munhoz pushing out an immediate front kick. Vera slips punches and counters, and Munhoz lands another front kick to the body. Vera misses a head kick by a few inches, and he buzzes the hair with a second kick. Munhoz looses a big right hand, and Vera rolls with it and counters with a jab. Vera goes up high with a kick, and Munhoz swings a left hook that grazes past the target. Vera jabs a few times and parries a front kick to the side, and he connects with a thumping leg kick. Munhoz spams front kick, and Vera stands him up with a left hook on the inside. Vera peppers the nose with another sharp jab, and Munhoz lashes back with a strong leg kick and a left hook. Vera tanks it and kicks back on the lead wheel, and he paws out three punches that bounce off the gloves. Munhoz misses with a two-punch string, and he lands on a second effort. The right hands land from Munhoz, and Vera evades a spinning kick with ease. Vera gets in a short left hook, and he walks through a few leg kicks and has punches blocked. Munhoz plants a right hand down the pipe, and he backs off as he eats a body shot and protects his mug from a head kick. Munhoz plows forward and connects with a left, and they get off jabs at the same time. Munhoz follows it with a left hook, and they decide to dish out leg kicks one after the other. Vera nails his foe with a right hand, and Munhoz shakes it off and rubs his nose. Munhoz lands two straight right hands that Vera takes flush without batting an eye, and they swing their fists but end up missing with their exchanges. Vera slides a punch to land a left, and Munhoz whips a right hand over the top. Vera checks a leg kick and snaps out a jab, and a left and a right knock him back a few steps. Vera looks to catch a low kick and counter with a right hand, and he works the body as the round ends.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Munhoz
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Munhoz
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Munhoz
Round 3
They clap hands to get started with one final round, and they both swing leg kicks at the same time. Vera checks a kick and strikes with his jab, and Dean tells him to watch his fingers. Vera connects with a left to the body and a right to the head, and he clubs Munhoz with a right hand as Munhoz comes his way. Munhoz fires back when Vera lands on him, and he splits the guard with a right hand. The two hand-fight, and Vera tries to check a low kick. Vera stings Munhoz with a jab, and a second makes Munhoz blink it out. Vera goes with a left to the ribs and a right up top, and Munhoz considers taking the fight down as he is stunned. Vera continues to crush Munhoz’ nose with his jab, and Munhoz is fighting back but it is starting to get to him. Munhoz absorbs a flush one-two, and he swings for the fences only to get nailed with a left hook. Munhoz is there every step of the way, but his face is starting to show serious damage. Vera hammers a left to the body that bends Munhoz over, but Munhoz gathers himself and blitzes forward. Vera stands firm and fires out his piston-like jab, and Munhoz has no answer to it other than to try to get his own going as well. Vera checks a kick and puts three punches on the chin of his opponent, and Munhoz is tough but gets stung with two vicious lefts. Munhoz takes a flush jab and shakes his head only to crash forward, and even though he lands, Vera is hitting him much harder. Vera brings a high kick up top for good measure, and he jabs up Munhoz’ face. Vera blocks two punches and lands a right, and Munhoz slips the follow-up and kicks the body twice. Vera nods at him and wings a left hand, and Munhoz shoulder-rolls and counters. Vera plants his fist on the Brazilian’s chin three times in rapid succession, and he ignores a counter. Vera starts showboating, and he steps back as Munhoz spins with two unsuccessful kicks. Vera hoots, and he drops his hands and puts them behind his back. Before Munhoz can reach him, the razor-close matchup comes to a close. It could be anybody’s fight, and judges will have their hands full scoring the first two rounds.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Vera (29-28 Munhoz)
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Vera (29-28 Munhoz)
Brian Knapp scores the round: 10-9 Vera (29-28 Munhoz)
The Official Result
Marlon Vera def. Pedro Munhoz via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
Angelo picks Marlon Vera despite acknowledging red flags: Vera is overrated, has been outstruck in his last four fights, and lacks urgency. However, he believes Pedro Munhoz's orthodox striking style plays into Vera's strengths, as Vera excels against fighters who stand in front of him. He also notes Munhoz is on short notice. He has Vera in a parlay.
Big Brady picks Pedro Munhoz as a slight underdog, expecting a split decision. He notes Vera is a slow starter who loses first rounds and has been outstruck in four of his last five fights. Munhoz has never been knocked out or knocked down, and Brady believes the fight will be close, favoring the dog.
Cody highlights Vera's notorious slow starts, often losing the first round, which is problematic in a three-round fight. Munhoz has a good chin and Jiu-Jitsu, and could capitalize if Vera starts slow. He suggests live betting Vera after the first round if he loses it, but officially picks Munhoz as a live underdog.
Daniel Levi picks Marlon Vera, believing Vera will push the pace in the second and third rounds and win a decision. He notes that Vera struggles against longer fighters or those who put him on his back, but here Vera is the longer man. Levi thinks Vera will use front kicks and knees, and that Munoz slows down as fights progress. He also mentions that neither fighter has been finished, but both are hittable, so a finish is possible.
Lucrative James picks Marlon Vera to win, possibly by finish, despite Munhoz never being finished in 28 fights. He notes Vera's reach and height advantages, and believes Munhoz's durability may be declining. He expects Vera to pull away in rounds 2 and 3.
Vera is the more diverse striker and should land damaging blows as the fight goes on. However, Munhoz is durable and can win early rounds with forward pressure. The over 2.5 rounds is the best bet as Vera likely wins rounds 2 and 3 by decision. The moneyline is not worth it due to Vera's slow starts.
The MMA Guru picks Pedro Munhoz over Marlon Vera. He argues Vera relies on finishing opponents late, but Munhoz never gets wobbled, never slows down, and has fought the who's who of bantamweight. He notes Vera struggles in three-round fights and Munhoz's leg kicks and pressure will annoy Vera. He predicts a 29-28 decision for Munhoz.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cory Sandhagen | 0 | 58 of 158 | 36% | 73 of 177 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0:09 |
| Marlon Vera | 0 | 128 of 280 | 45% | 187 of 378 | 3 of 12 | 25% | 0 | 0 | 7:08 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cory Sandhagen | 0 | 5 of 13 | 38% | 12 of 22 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Marlon Vera | 0 | 32 of 69 | 46% | 47 of 99 | 1 of 2 | 50% | 0 | 0 | 2:30 | |
| 2 | Cory Sandhagen | 0 | 6 of 15 | 40% | 9 of 18 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 1 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Marlon Vera | 0 | 18 of 29 | 62% | 55 of 84 | 1 of 1 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 2:50 | |
| 3 | Cory Sandhagen | 0 | 20 of 56 | 35% | 20 of 56 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Marlon Vera | 0 | 32 of 67 | 47% | 32 of 67 | 0 of 2 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:03 | |
| 4 | Cory Sandhagen | 0 | 13 of 38 | 34% | 13 of 38 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Marlon Vera | 0 | 24 of 67 | 35% | 24 of 67 | 0 of 3 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:08 | |
| 5 | Cory Sandhagen | 0 | 14 of 36 | 38% | 19 of 43 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:09 |
| Marlon Vera | 0 | 22 of 48 | 45% | 29 of 61 | 1 of 4 | 25% | 0 | 0 | 1:37 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cory Sandhagen | 58 of 158 | 36% | 28 of 105 | 13 of 29 | 17 of 24 | 53 of 152 | 5 of 5 | 0 of 1 |
| Marlon Vera | 128 of 280 | 45% | 84 of 226 | 16 of 23 | 28 of 31 | 107 of 241 | 2 of 3 | 19 of 36 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cory Sandhagen | 5 of 13 | 38% | 4 of 11 | 0 of 0 | 1 of 2 | 5 of 13 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Marlon Vera | 32 of 69 | 46% | 20 of 55 | 2 of 3 | 10 of 11 | 18 of 41 | 0 of 0 | 14 of 28 | |
| 2 | Cory Sandhagen | 6 of 15 | 40% | 4 of 10 | 0 of 2 | 2 of 3 | 6 of 15 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Marlon Vera | 18 of 29 | 62% | 14 of 24 | 2 of 3 | 2 of 2 | 13 of 22 | 0 of 0 | 5 of 7 | |
| 3 | Cory Sandhagen | 20 of 56 | 35% | 8 of 37 | 4 of 8 | 8 of 11 | 20 of 56 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
| Marlon Vera | 32 of 67 | 47% | 17 of 48 | 6 of 9 | 9 of 10 | 32 of 67 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 | |
| 4 | Cory Sandhagen | 13 of 38 | 34% | 6 of 25 | 4 of 10 | 3 of 3 | 12 of 37 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 |
| Marlon Vera | 24 of 67 | 35% | 19 of 59 | 2 of 4 | 3 of 4 | 23 of 65 | 1 of 2 | 0 of 0 | |
| 5 | Cory Sandhagen | 14 of 36 | 38% | 6 of 22 | 5 of 9 | 3 of 5 | 10 of 31 | 4 of 4 | 0 of 1 |
| Marlon Vera | 22 of 48 | 45% | 14 of 40 | 4 of 4 | 4 of 4 | 21 of 46 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 1 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Sandhagen (-165), Vera (+140)
Round 1
The UFC knew what it was doing when it put this fight together, and made sure fans would appreciate it by moving it from the UFC Apex to an 18,000-seat arena in San Antonio. Bantamweight greatness looms, and Vera (20-7-1, 14-6 UFC) would like nothing more than to put Sandhagen (15-4, 8-3 UFC) away and possibly earn a crack at gold. “The Sandman” is no easy out, having never been stopped with strikes, so a back-and-forth, blood-and-guts battle may loom for the next 25 minutes. Referee Dan Miragliotta is in it for the long haul, and the fighters are ready to handle their business, electing to not bump fists before launching them at one another’s faces. Sandhagen leads off with several range-finding jabs and low kicks, and he punches into Vera’s raised hands. Sandhagen walks “Chito” down and kicks at his lead leg a few times, and Vera absorbs a one-two on the dome while holding off on retaliating. Sandhagen drives Vera back to the wall with a left, and Vera strings two jabs into a chipping kick. Sandhagen works low kicks into jabs, and Vera pushes forth a one-two when “Chito” chants echo throughout the building. Vera hand-fights as Sandhagen walks forward calmly, and he allows Sandhagen to score on him repeatedly. Sandhagen ducks a jab to loose a solid left hook, and Vera takes it on the chin and subsequently absorbs another. Sandhagen bears down on his man with a few punches and a head kick while Vera escapes, and Vera he swats away a few punches that zip at him. Sandhagen leaps at his foe with a jump knee, and Vera parries it and is forced to defend a takedown effort. Sandhagen smoothly trips Vera’s leg out and plants him on his seat, and he postures up and hammers Vera with punches and elbows. Vera closes his guard as he gets shoved to the wall with his neck trapped at the corner of the floor and the fence. Sandhagen pummels “Chito” with elbows, and Vera replies with a few on his back to split open a cut on the top of Sandhagen’s forehead. Sandhagen continues to bombard his downed adversary with elbows as Vera looks to kick him off, but the listless Vera blocks the majority of them and seems content to remain on his back. Sandhagen ends the round with several more pounding elbows.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Sandhagen
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Sandhagen
Jack Dankoff scores the round: 10-9 Sandhagen
Round 2
The bantamweights meet in the middle, and Sandhagen is the aggressor right out of the gate. They trade front kicks, and Vera is backed up to the wall as Sandhagen opens up with a right hand. Vera aims a punch to the body, and he front kicks and chops at Sandhagen’s lead calf a few times to slow him. Sandhagen blitzes with a few uppercuts, and he secures a single-leg takedown and puts “Chito” on his back. Vera defends with a guillotine choke before he even hits his seat, and he releases it without burning his arms out as Sandhagen steps over to half guard. Sandhagen starts to drop down left hands and elbows as Vera is pinned to the floor, and his top control is smothering and frustrating for the Ecuadorian. Vera turns to his side as he eats elbows, and Sandhagen allows him to do that so that he can posture up and drill him with punches. Vera hooks a foot beneath his elbow to flirt with a heel hook, and Sandhagen lowers himself down and takes side control on the side to continue his attack. Vera turns once more, nearly giving up his back as he attempts to escape, and he leans back down when Sandhagen’s elbows start to have an appreciable effect. Sandhagen looks to isolate Vera’s right arm, but he cannot hold it as Vera slides out and explodes to his feet. Vera gets off a front kick to the chest, and he checks a calf kick. They trade jabs, and Sandhagen follows one with an uppercut that gets Vera’s attention. Sandhagen reaches his man with punches on the outside of the guard, and Vera misses when retaliating. Vera catches a body kick, and he lets it go when Sandhagen posts off his other arm and fights back up. Vera walks forward without throwing much in the way of offense, and Sandhagen dodges the strikes that come at him before the bell rings.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Sandhagen
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Sandhagen
Jack Dankoff scores the round: 10-9 Sandhagen
Round 3
“Chito” rushes to the center of the cage to start off, having dropped the first two rounds unquestionably. Vera does not throw as Sandhagen is active from a distance, and he finally chambers and fires a head kick that is blocked. Sandhagen replies with a few long jabs, and Vera answers that with a front kick to the sternum. Vera reaches a left hand over the guard, and it is one-and-done while Sandhagen switches stances constantly and prods with punches and kicks. A blocked from kick from Sandhagen causes him to fall over, and when he climbs back up, Vera meets him with a thudding calf kick that stuns Sandhagen momentarily. Vera stomps the front knee and reaches with his left hand, and he kicks the body. Vera stuffs an oncoming takedown and makes his foe pay with a front kick, but Sandhagen strings together a few punches and a body kick to respond. Vera drills his opponent with a one-two, and Sandhagen walks through it and snaps the head back with an uppercut. As Vera loops a left, Sandhagen changes levels but cannot complete the takedown. Vera pushes off and starts to walk Sandhagen down, and they trade right hands. Sandhagen swipes at him with a clean left hook, and Vera tries to give him one back but Sandhagen is faster and beats him to the punch. They both get off front kicks in an exchange, and Vera goes up high with a kick that slams into the shoulder. Vera jabs to the body, and Sandhagen’s looping uppercut finds its home again. Vera swings while Sandhagen fires punches at him, and they miss while Sandhagen’s rangier blows connect. “Chito” jumps forward with a front kick, and he stalks after Sandhagen and has his lead leg kicked for it. At the waning seconds, Vera jumps at his opponent with a knee, but Sandhagen is feet away at the bell.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Sandhagen
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Sandhagen
Jack Dankoff scores the round: 10-9 Sandhagen
Round 4
The championship rounds have been reached, and Sandhagen strikes first with a front kick, and he turns through with momentum to land a spinning back kick. Sandhagen punches his way forward with an uppercut, and he charges for a double. Vera stands him up and dings him with a knee, but Sandhagen tries again and fail once more. When they separate, Sandhagen gets off a few punches before ducking for a double, and Vera’s sprawl is excellent as he remains on his feet. Sandhagen digs a left to the liver and moves actively and frequently to not stand still in front of his opponent. Vera attempts to cut angles and back Sandhagen off, but “The Sandman” connects with several punches and has a flying knee bounce of Vera’s raised arms. Vera lands one single jab, and Sandhagen strings three punches and a low kick together – but the kick is checked. Sandhagen jabs, staying elusive and switching stances relentlessly. Vera cannot seem to lock him down or find the timing, and he swings with a left hook that Sandhagen dodges. Vera kicks the calf hard, and that kick is checked. Sandhagen swipes with a left hook, and Vera chains a few punches to the body up to a few to the head. Sandhagen jabs, switches stances, and jabs with the other lead hand, flustering “Chito” with his awkward movement and timing. Sandhagen loops a left over the guard, and he sits down on a low kick that Vera cannot defend. The crowd is extremely restless after the relative lack of action compared to its initial promise, as fans start whistling and holding up illuminated cellphones. Vera is similarly irritated, trying and failing to chase down and corner the Colorado native. Vera reaches his man with a front kick and a left hand, but Sandhagen is able to block the subsequent efforts. Vera spins with a kick before the horn, and the audience is not amused.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Sandhagen
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Sandhagen
Jack Dankoff scores the round: 10-9 Sandhagen
Round 5
The last round of this disappointing – from an action standpoint, not tactically – headliner begins, and Sandhagen is happy to pick up where he left off. Sandhagen pushes the pace a little with a few heavier jabs after Vera lands flush a few times, and he shoots for a takedown. Vera stuffs it and takes a knee square in the midsection. Vera is tripped out and tackled to the mat, and he tries to throw up upkicks and may have landed an illegal blow to a grounded Sandhagen in the process. Sandhagen fights off a high guard and submission setup, and he allows Vera to roll laterally so that he can lower himself into the guard. Sandhagen is comfortable taking top position, and Vera kicks him in the chest and gets away with another slapping foot to the downed Sandhagen’s face. Vera explodes to his feet at the midpoint of the final frame, and Sandhagen lines up several punches to back Vera off. “Chito” tosses out a half-hearted leg kick, and he turns to fire one to the body. Vera knocks Sandhagen back with two punches, but “The Sandman” is not concerned as he gets right back to pressuring the pressure fighter. Sandhagen keeps changing stances and jabbing and poking at Vera with feet and fists, and he dodges and parries the lumbering but looping punches that come at him. Vera jumps forward with a left hook, and Sandhagen replies in kind. Vera reaches at the end of a jabbing punch, only to be met with Sandhagen’s short combination. Sandhagen kicks high off the guard, and Vera spins with a kick to the ribs. Vera pressures, and he staves off a rushing double. Vera catches a kick and slams his foot into the body from an odd angle, and he takes Sandhagen from behind and pushes him to the wall. Vera connects with a solid elbow, and he pours it on with high kicks from both legs, swinging punches and kicks, and anything else he can muster. Instead of throwing this all during the first 24-plus minutes of the match, Vera saved it for one final, desperate effort, and Sandhagen blocks or dodges the worst of it. As Vera charges like a bull, Sandhagen points at him, and the last horn blows to put an end to the less-than-thrilling main attraction. In his post-fight interview, Sandhagen states that he would “feel slimy” if he asked for a title shot over Merab Dvalishvili, so he prepares a line and challenges the Georgian to a fight. If that comes together, we will be here for it. Next week, there is a break from the UFC – but there will be Fight Circus, so stay tuned for coverage on that – and we return on April 8 with UFC 287. We will also be for here for that, and we hope you are too.
Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Sandhagen (50-45 Sandhagen)
Edwin Ayala scores the round: 10-9 Sandhagen (50-45 Sandhagen)
Jack Dankoff scores the round: 10-9 Sandhagen (50-45 Sandhagen)
The Official Result
Cory Sandhagen def. Marlon Vera via Split Decision (47-48, 50-45, 49-46)
Angelo picks Sandhagen because he is younger, durable, and has a versatile striking style with sneaky power. He notes that Vera's recent wins came against older, declining fighters like Rob Font, Dominic Cruz, and Frankie Edgar, and that Sandhagen is a different challenge. He believes Sandhagen's weird movements and toughness will neutralize Vera's power, and that Vera's habit of losing early before finding a finish won't work against Sandhagen. He admits he has never correctly picked a Vera fight but thinks this is where Vera's luck runs out.
Big Brady picks Marlon Vera as a dog, arguing that while Sandhagen is the better overall fighter with more volume and movement, Vera is a 'moment winner' who can land big shots and sway judges. He notes Vera's ability to get outstruck but still win rounds by landing damaging blows, as seen in the Rob Font fight. Brady believes Vera has 25 minutes to find Sandhagen's chin and predicts a fourth-round knockout, though he acknowledges a close decision is possible.
Cody picks Sandhagen based on pure volume and fast starting ability. He notes Sandhagen lands a high number of significant strikes (169 vs Yanez, 128 vs Dillashaw) and that Vera is a slow starter who often drops the first round. He believes Sandhagen will bank the early rounds and win a decision, though he acknowledges Vera's durability and late-round finishing ability. He suggests betting Sandhagen by decision to improve the line.
Connor sees Sandhagen as a heavily upgraded version of the opponents Vera has been beating (Rob Font, Dominick Cruz). He believes Sandhagen's durability, conditioning, adaptability, and elusive defense will be too much for Vera's 'anti-process' style. He compares it to Yoel Romero vs Robert Whittaker, suggesting Sandhagen is Vera's Whittaker.
Jacob picks Vera, noting that he was a former hater but converted after Vera beat Rob Font. He argues that Vera is excellent at making reads over time and capitalizing, and that Sandhagen is hittable because he stands in front of opponents and doesn't move his head. He thinks Sandhagen's toughness means he gets hit, and Vera's power at bantamweight is a serious threat. He predicts Vera will find a shot and finish Sandhagen, possibly by submission in the third round.
The host believes Sandhagen is the best puzzle for Vera since his winning streak, citing Sandhagen's ability to keep up with Vera's cardio and put together a full MMA game. He notes Sandhagen is defensively responsible enough to avoid big strikes and can tie Vera up in the clinch if needed. He expects Sandhagen to get off his own game from distance and allow the judges to see it in his favor, predicting Sandhagen wins by decision despite possibly dropping a round or two.
The Guru picks Sandhagen over Vera, arguing that Sandhagen is much better than Vera's recent opponents like Cruz and Font. He highlights Sandhagen's diverse attack (leg kicks, body shots, takedowns) and toughness, believing he can avoid Vera's power and win a decision. He notes Vera's ability to find finishes but thinks Sandhagen's movement and durability will carry him.
Zane picks Sandhagen because Vera is scary but has recent losses to Jose Aldo and Song Yadong. He notes Sandhagen is harder to track and predict than Font or Cruz, and Vera's clinch wrestling is less of a threat than Dillashaw's. He expects Sandhagen to be elusive enough to win, though Vera could steal rounds with damage.
Totals
| Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marlon Vera | 3 | 61 of 156 | 39% | 63 of 160 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:10 |
| Dominick Cruz | 0 | 92 of 249 | 36% | 100 of 259 | 2 of 7 | 28% | 0 | 0 | 1:05 |
Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | KD | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Total Str. | TD | TD % | Sub. Att | Rev. | Ctrl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Marlon Vera | 1 | 9 of 33 | 27% | 11 of 37 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:03 |
| Dominick Cruz | 0 | 21 of 61 | 34% | 29 of 71 | 2 of 2 | 100% | 0 | 0 | 0:49 | |
| 2 | Marlon Vera | 0 | 19 of 52 | 36% | 19 of 52 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
| Dominick Cruz | 0 | 32 of 78 | 41% | 32 of 78 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:00 | |
| 3 | Marlon Vera | 0 | 21 of 49 | 42% | 21 of 49 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:02 |
| Dominick Cruz | 0 | 28 of 80 | 35% | 28 of 80 | 0 of 3 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:16 | |
| 4 | Marlon Vera | 2 | 12 of 22 | 54% | 12 of 22 | 0 of 0 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0:05 |
| Dominick Cruz | 0 | 11 of 30 | 36% | 11 of 30 | 0 of 1 | 0% | 0 | 0 | 0:00 |
Significant Strikes
| Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marlon Vera | 61 of 156 | 39% | 35 of 121 | 13 of 21 | 13 of 14 | 54 of 146 | 5 of 6 | 2 of 4 |
| Dominick Cruz | 92 of 249 | 36% | 54 of 193 | 16 of 32 | 22 of 24 | 89 of 245 | 1 of 2 | 2 of 2 |
Significant Strikes Per Round
| Rd | Fighter | Sig. Str. | Sig. Str. % | Head | Body | Leg | Distance | Clinch | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Marlon Vera | 9 of 33 | 27% | 4 of 25 | 2 of 4 | 3 of 4 | 9 of 30 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 2 |
| Dominick Cruz | 21 of 61 | 34% | 12 of 49 | 1 of 4 | 8 of 8 | 19 of 59 | 0 of 0 | 2 of 2 | |
| 2 | Marlon Vera | 19 of 52 | 36% | 9 of 40 | 6 of 8 | 4 of 4 | 18 of 51 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 |
| Dominick Cruz | 32 of 78 | 41% | 17 of 55 | 7 of 14 | 8 of 9 | 31 of 77 | 1 of 1 | 0 of 0 | |
| 3 | Marlon Vera | 21 of 49 | 42% | 14 of 39 | 3 of 6 | 4 of 4 | 17 of 45 | 4 of 4 | 0 of 0 |
| Dominick Cruz | 28 of 80 | 35% | 21 of 68 | 2 of 6 | 5 of 6 | 28 of 79 | 0 of 1 | 0 of 0 | |
| 4 | Marlon Vera | 12 of 22 | 54% | 8 of 17 | 2 of 3 | 2 of 2 | 10 of 20 | 0 of 0 | 2 of 2 |
| Dominick Cruz | 11 of 30 | 36% | 4 of 21 | 6 of 8 | 1 of 1 | 11 of 30 | 0 of 0 | 0 of 0 |
Play-by-Play
View on SherdogBETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Vera (-210), Cruz (+180)
Round 1
It’s main event time, with former champion Cruz looking to make one last run at the title in front of the home folks. In his way is Vera, who’s won three straight and has title aspirations of his own. Herb Dean will be the third man in the cage for the evening’s featured bout. Cruz comes out aggressive iwth a high kick followd by a combination. Cruz with a head kick followed by a straight right hand. Cruz kicks to the body as Vera remains calm. A hard low kick for Cruz finds the mark. Vera throws a front kick and Cruz catches it and throws him on the canvas. Vera is right back up. Vera counters a low kick with a left hand and drops Cruz. the former champ pops right back to his feet. Cruz pressures with a combination, then has a head kick blocked. Cruz is forcing the issue with combinations. Cruz feints a takedown and misses with an overhand. Vera misses a front kick and Cruz pressures with punches. Cruz lands a low kick. A front kick down the middle lands for Vera. Cruz again pushes forward with a combination followed by a head kick. Again, Cruz blitzes forward with punches. With less than a minute to go, Cruz executes a nicely-timed takedown. Cruz is in full guard, looking to create space for ground-and-pound. Vera threatens with a triangle and Cruz stands. The round ends with Cruz kicking at his opponent’s legs.
Sherdog Scores
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Cruz
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Cruz
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Cruz
Round 2
Vera opens with a high kick but Cruz blocks it. Cruz with another blitz of punches and he follows up with a low kick. Cruz with a low kick followed by a right hand. Cruz chips at the legs and then rushes forward with punches. Cruz stays busy with kicks and then counters as Vera moves in. Vera avoids another flurry of punches, but Cruz lands a nice right to the body. Cruz is mixing things up nicely, keeping Vera off balance. Cruz lands a leg kick, but Vera avoids the follow up combination. Another low kick lands for Cruz, but he can’t find the range on the ensuing flurry of punches. Cruz with a right to the body. He goes body-head and lands both. Vera finds the mark on a right hook. Cruz with a straight right, then a front kick down the middle and another right hand. Cruz shoots with 30 seconds, but Vera sprawls. Cruz lands a jab and Vera just misses a head kick before the horn.
Sherdog Scores
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Cruz
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Cruz
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Cruz
Round 3
Cruz kicks the leg and follows up with a punching combination. Another heavy leg kick draws a reaction from Vera. Cruz flurries and a counter from Vera backs him up. Cruz slips and lands a punch even while moving awkwardly. Vera moves forward and follows a double jab with a powerful right that drops Cruz. The ex champ is right back up, though. Cruz feints a takedown and eats a left hook for his efforts. Cruz’s movement may have slowed ever so slightly. Cruz shoots and Vera sprawls on it and tags Cruz with a left. Cruz lands a jab and moves forward with punches. Vera jabs in response. Cruz’s volume isn’t quite what it was in earlier rounds. He lands a left and Vera answers with a body kick. Vera stuffs a takedown against the fence and lands some elbows to the side of the head. Cruz gives up and they’re back at range. Vera lans a jab before the horn.
Sherdog Scores
Tristen Critchfield scores the round: 10-9 Vera
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Vera
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Vera
Round 4
Vera eludes Cruz’s punches and the stuffs a takedown. A right from Cruz makes Vera stumble back but it’s more of a slip than anything. Cruz with a right to the body. A stiff left jab catches Cruz coming forward and sits him down. Cruz is up in a hurry but it’s the third knockdown of the night for Vera. Once again, Cruz isn’t landing with the volume he did early.
Cruz darts in and then dips his head off to the side. Vera is waiting for it, and he catches Cruz with a perfectly-timed head kick on the chin. Cruz faceplants into the canvas as a result of the blow. Vera follows up with three mostly unnecessary ground shots before Dean dives in to save Cruz
, who looks like his nose is badly damaged. That’s four in a row for Vera, whose power was on display throughout the fight.
The Official Result
Marlon Vera def. Dominick Cruz via KO (Head Kick and Punches) R4 2:17
Angelo picks Dominick Cruz but is on the fence. He notes Cruz's movement and striking defense make him hard to hit, and he can win by mixing in takedowns. However, Vera has devastating power and an iron chin, and Cruz may not be able to avoid damage for five rounds. Angelo compares to the Frankie Edgar fight where Edgar outstruck Vera and got takedowns but still got knocked out. He might change his pick.
Big Brady picks Marlon Vera to win by late knockout, likely in the fourth round. He notes that Vera is a slow starter but becomes a savage in the championship rounds, as seen against Rob Font. Cruz is 37, with declining durability and speed, and was dropped in his last fight. Vera lands the harder shots and has knockdown power. Brady expects Vera to eventually land something big and finish Cruz.
Cody agrees with Paul, picking Marlon Vera. He emphasizes Vera's durability and tenacity in five-round fights, noting he often loses the first round but builds momentum. Cody believes Vera's leg kicks will stifle Cruz's movement and that judges favor damage over volume. He also suggests live betting Vera after he loses the first round.
Daniel Levi picks Marlon Vera, emphasizing that Vera is a slow starter but excels in championship rounds. He notes Vera's iron chin, finishing ability (most finishes in bantamweight history), and the importance of calf kicks to slow Cruz's movement. Levi believes Cruz will have early success but fade as the fight progresses, and Vera will either finish or win a clear decision. He also mentions that Vera's boxing has improved under Jason Parillo.
The host is emphatic about Cruz, citing his wrestling advantage and high fight IQ. He notes that Cruz has landed 55 takedowns at a 43% clip since his WEC days, while Vera is not known for takedown defense. He believes people are overlooking Cruz's grappling and that the fight won't be a 25-minute kickboxing match. He also mentions Cruz's movement and ability to roll with kicks, referencing the Pedro Munoz fight where Cruz survived heavy leg kicks. He is confident that at plus money, Cruz is the value play.
Paul picks Marlon Vera, noting that while Cruz may out-volume him early, Vera lands the more impactful strikes. He points out that Cruz has been knocked down in his last four fights and is getting older. Paul thinks Vera's leg kicks will slow Cruz's mobility, and he prefers to bet Vera live after round one or two rather than at the -230 moneyline.
The host picks Marlon Vera by fourth-round submission (d'arce choke). He expects Cruz to win the first two rounds but fade as Vera's leg kicks and pressure accumulate. He predicts Vera will hurt Cruz, sprawl on a takedown, and choke him out. He emphasizes Vera's size and reach advantages, and notes Cruz's injury history and lack of power compared to other Vera opponents.
Expert Picks (8)
Angelo picks Sandhagen because he is younger, durable, and has a versatile striking style with sneaky power. He notes that Vera's recent wins came against older, declining fighters like Rob Font, Dominic Cruz, and Frankie Edgar, and that Sandhagen is a different challenge. He believes Sandhagen's weird movements and toughness will neutralize Vera's power, and that Vera's habit of losing early before finding a finish won't work against Sandhagen. He admits he has never correctly picked a Vera fight but thinks this is where Vera's luck runs out.
Big Brady picks Marlon Vera as a dog, arguing that while Sandhagen is the better overall fighter with more volume and movement, Vera is a 'moment winner' who can land big shots and sway judges. He notes Vera's ability to get outstruck but still win rounds by landing damaging blows, as seen in the Rob Font fight. Brady believes Vera has 25 minutes to find Sandhagen's chin and predicts a fourth-round knockout, though he acknowledges a close decision is possible.
Cody picks Sandhagen based on pure volume and fast starting ability. He notes Sandhagen lands a high number of significant strikes (169 vs Yanez, 128 vs Dillashaw) and that Vera is a slow starter who often drops the first round. He believes Sandhagen will bank the early rounds and win a decision, though he acknowledges Vera's durability and late-round finishing ability. He suggests betting Sandhagen by decision to improve the line.
Connor sees Sandhagen as a heavily upgraded version of the opponents Vera has been beating (Rob Font, Dominick Cruz). He believes Sandhagen's durability, conditioning, adaptability, and elusive defense will be too much for Vera's 'anti-process' style. He compares it to Yoel Romero vs Robert Whittaker, suggesting Sandhagen is Vera's Whittaker.
Jacob picks Vera, noting that he was a former hater but converted after Vera beat Rob Font. He argues that Vera is excellent at making reads over time and capitalizing, and that Sandhagen is hittable because he stands in front of opponents and doesn't move his head. He thinks Sandhagen's toughness means he gets hit, and Vera's power at bantamweight is a serious threat. He predicts Vera will find a shot and finish Sandhagen, possibly by submission in the third round.
The host believes Sandhagen is the best puzzle for Vera since his winning streak, citing Sandhagen's ability to keep up with Vera's cardio and put together a full MMA game. He notes Sandhagen is defensively responsible enough to avoid big strikes and can tie Vera up in the clinch if needed. He expects Sandhagen to get off his own game from distance and allow the judges to see it in his favor, predicting Sandhagen wins by decision despite possibly dropping a round or two.
The Guru picks Sandhagen over Vera, arguing that Sandhagen is much better than Vera's recent opponents like Cruz and Font. He highlights Sandhagen's diverse attack (leg kicks, body shots, takedowns) and toughness, believing he can avoid Vera's power and win a decision. He notes Vera's ability to find finishes but thinks Sandhagen's movement and durability will carry him.
Zane picks Sandhagen because Vera is scary but has recent losses to Jose Aldo and Song Yadong. He notes Sandhagen is harder to track and predict than Font or Cruz, and Vera's clinch wrestling is less of a threat than Dillashaw's. He expects Sandhagen to be elusive enough to win, though Vera could steal rounds with damage.
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