UFC Fight Night Report: Cory Sandhagen defeats Marlon Vera by split decision
On Saturday evening, the UFC held a Fight Night event from the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas. The card was headlined by a bout between two of the top contenders in the UFC’s bantamweight division, with the third-ranked Marlon “Chito” Vera, facing the fifth-ranked Cory Sandhagen. After beginning his run in the UFC with a 4-4 record, Vera would go on to win ten of his next twelve fights, and went into this fight riding a strong four-fight win streak, highlighted by a pair of brutal knockout victories over Dominick Cruz and Frankie Edgar. Sandhagen has had a solid run at bantamweight as well, with an 8-3 record in the promotion, and a win against Vera here would bounce him right back into the title picture, despite his recent losses to T.J. Dillashaw and Petr Yan. Both Sandhagen and Vera are fighters known for their knockout power, and this matchup seemed sure to be one of the more exciting main events of the year. This card also featured former UFC Bantamweight Champion, Holly Holm, facing Yana Santos, as Holm looked to rebound from her split decision loss to Ketlen Vieira last year.
The commentary team for this card consisted of Brendan Fitzgerald, Michael Bisping, and Paul Felder. Performance of the Night bonuses were awarded to Nate Landwehr and Daniel Pineda. Fight of the Night bonuses went out to C.J. Vergara and Daniel Lacerda.
QUICK RESULTS:
PRELIMINARY CARD:
- Victor Altamirano def. Vinicius Salvador by unanimous decision (29-28 all)
- J. Vergara def. Daniel Lacerda by TKO at 4:04 of Round 2
- Trevin Giles def. Preston Parsons by split decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29)
- Lucas Alexander def. Steven Peterson by unanimous decision (30-27 all)
MAIN CARD:
- Daniel Pineda def. Tucker Lutz by guillotine choke at 2:50 of Round 2
- Albert Duraev def. Chidi Njokuani by split decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29)
- Maycee Barber def. Andrea Lee by split decision (29-28, 30-27, 28-29)
- Nate Landwehr def. Austin Lingo by rear naked choke at 4:11 of Round 2
- Holly Holm def. Yana Santos by unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-27)
- Cory Sandhagen def. Marlon Vera by split decision (49-46, 50-45, 47-48)
VICTOR ALTAMIRANO (11-2, 124.5) VS VINICIUS SALVADOR (14-4, 126) – FLYWEIGHT
Salvador defended a trio of early takedown attempts from Altamirano, as he pressed forward, swinging wildly. Eventually, Altamirano was able to successfully change levels, and he took Salvador to the ground with over three minutes to work. Salvador inched his way back to the fence, managing to return to his feet, where he went back on the attack. Salvador attempted a cartwheel kick before throwing an unorthodox kick to the lead leg of Altamirano. At one point, Salvador did the Anderson Silva/Stephan Bonnar-styled taunt with his back to the cage but did not commit to it as Anderson once did. Salvador seemed to stun Altamirano with some short shots before the end of the round. 10-9 Salvador.
Altamirano began the second round with a wheel kick that found its target before Salvador landed a hard shot and attempted to take Altamirano down. Altamirano defended the attempt and nearly secured one of his own just moments later, but his momentum was used against him by Salvador, and the fighters started wrestling against the cage. A hip toss from Salvador seemed to do some legitimate damage, but Altamirano picked himself back up quickly. Salvador was landing damaging shots back on the feet and seemed to be in control of the bout by this point, but both fighters were starting to slow down from the high pace of the fight. A number of wide hooks from Salvador were finding their mark, backing Altamirano up. While Altamirano was still firing back with impactful blows of his own, I thought Salvador did more damage throughout the round, and scored these five minutes in his favor. 20-18 Salvador.
Altamirano connected with a big hook at the start of round three, before securing a takedown. Salvador popped back to his feet and went back on the attack, but was quickly taken back down. Altamirano was able to land some short elbows from top position, however, he eventually chose to give up his position, and the fight returned to the feet. Salvador was looking for a fight-ender in the bout’s final minutes, but Altamirano did his best to close the distance, not giving Salvador the room he needed to find the finish. You could argue that Salvador did enough damage late in the round to steal this one back, but I gave the slight edge to Altamirano. 29-28 Salvador.
WINNER: Victor Altamirano by unanimous decision (29-28 all)
Altamirano’s general strategy was to slow Salvador’s pressure with takedowns, constantly threatening them whenever Salvador pressured forward, occasionally taking him down, where I imagine his control time weighed heavily for the judges. Salvador has a wild style, filled with looping hooks and creative kicks, and while that style has its drawbacks, it’s certainly an entertaining one. Personally, I thought Salvador won this fight, largely due to what I perceived as a significant edge in damage dealt, but the bout was a competitive one, and I can see the cage for giving Altamirano the first and third rounds, largely based off his control time. Altamirano is now 2-1 in the UFC following this win.
C.J. VERGARA (10-4-1, 126) VS DANIEL LACERDA (11-4, 126) – FLYWEIGHT
Lacerda pressured forward, seemingly in search of an early finish. A spinning head kick from Lacerda found its target, and he had Vergara rocked badly. Vergara literally spent he next thirty seconds sprinting away from Lacerda as he attempted to escape, but Lacerda just rushed forward, and he was able to rock and drop Vergara repeatedly as Vergara attempted to run from him. Referee Jason Herzog looked as though he was seconds away from stopping the fight, but Vergara as able to do just enough to defend himself, keeping himself in the fight. Lacerda eventually opted to take Vergara down as he attempted to finish the fight, and he was close to securing the finish, but once again, Vergara managed to escape, and the fight returned to the feet for the final seconds of the round. Lacerda continued to swarm Vergara on the feet, landing a few more big shots before time expired. This was a clear 10-8 round for Vergara.
Vergara seemed to have recovered by the start of round two, and he looked solid on the feet early in the round. Lacerda shot for a single leg and started hunting for a calf slicer. The positioning was a bit off, however, and he trapped himself underneath Vergara, who just started unloading with huge ground and pound shots. Vergara locked in an arm triangle, and while Lacerda managed to escape the submission, he had taken a ton of damage on the ground and was starting to look quite tired as well. Vergara eventually postured up, and he threw down brutal ground and pound until the fight was eventually stopped.
WINNER: C.J. Vergara by TKO at 4:04 of Round 2
This was an unbelievable comeback. Vergara was hurt so many times throughout the first round and was literally sprinting away from Lacerda in a desperate attempt to create some distance. Lacerda has never been known for his cardio, however, and Vergara fired back in the second round, doing a considerable amount of damage on the ground, until the referee was eventually forced to stop the fight. It was a remarkable comeback, and the San Antonio crowd lost their minds when Vergara finally secured the finish. Vergara’s UFC record improved to 2-2 following this win.
TREVIN GILES (15-4, 170.5) VS PRESTON PARSONS (10-3, 171) – WELTERWEIGHT
Parsons pressured forward early in the fight, as Giles attempted to slow him down with his jab. Parsons eventually changed levels as he attempted to take Giles to the ground, but the attempt was defended well. Back on the feet, a heavy right hook from Parsons wobbled Giles, and this time, Parsons was successfully able to secure the takedown, where he looked to finish the fight with elbows on the ground. Parsons moved to the back of Giles, before rolling for an armbar. The angle was slightly off, and Giles was able to take top mount, where he remained until time expired. 10-9 Parsons.
Parsons brought the fight to the cage in the opening seconds of round two. Giles generally did a good job of staying on his feet, while finding the occasional opportunity to counter, and eventually, Giles was able to create the separation that he was looking for. Parsons was looking exhausted by this point in the fight, and practically fell to the ground in search of a takedown with just under two minutes remaining in the round. Giles took top position, and he landed some big ground and pound shots before the end of the round, opening up a cut below the right eye of Parsons. 19-19.
The doctor was brought into the cage to check on Parsons’s right eye at the start of the third round. It was determined that he was fit to compete, and the third round began. The fighters traded heavy hands, as Parsons landed the occasional effective leg kick as well. Parsons secured a takedown with roughly three and a half minutes to work. Giles managed to escape to his feet without taking much damage, and Parsons was looking very fatigued as the fight resumed on the feet. Still, Parsons pressed forward, taking Giles down yet again as he looked to secure an arm triangle late in the third round. The positioning was not quite there, and Giles took top position with a minute remaining in the bout. Giles postured up late in the round, landing some solid ground and pound shots before time expired. This was a very close round. 29-28 Giles.
WINNER: Trevin Giles by split decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29)
The judges were split on this one, and I was not surprised in the slightest. This was a very close fight, that ultimately came down to the final round. Giles started the fight strongly but was hurt badly near the end of the first round, which likely gave Parsons the round on the scorecards. He rebounded strongly to win round two in convincing fashion, but despite Parsons’ exhaustion, Parsons’ pressure proved to be quite effective in the final round, forcing Giles to grapple with him against the cage for a considerable portion of the round, before securing a big takedown. It looked as though Parsons had the round won, but Giles escaped from the disadvantageous position and threw down ground and pound from on top until the final horn sounded, creating for a very close final round. It was quite the fight, hurt only by the fact that it had to follow the insanity of Vergara/Lacerda. In the end, Giles had his arm raised here, keeping the night’s streak of Texan fighters taking home the win alive. Giles is now 7-4 in the UFC following this win.
STEVEN PETERSON (19-10, 146) VS LUCAS ALEXANDER (7-3, 146) – FEATHERWEIGHT
Alexander did a great job of keeping the distance throughout the first round. He circled the cage, landing solid shots whenever Peterson attempted to close the distance, eventually opening up a cut on the forehead of Peterson with a hook. Alexander attacked the body of Peterson in combination, landing these shots with considerable power. Peterson never stopped pressuring forward, but he never really found his range, and this was a fairly clear round for Alexander, who dropped Peterson right before the horn sounded. 10-9 Alexander.
Alexander attacked the lead leg of Peterson early in the second round, before defending a takedown attempt. The leg kicks from Alexander were taking their toll on Peterson, who switched his stance in an attempt to protect his leg. Peterson was not finding any considerable success offensively and was falling far behind in this fight as Alexander was really starting to pull away with the bout. The fans were growing restless, but attacking the lead leg was proving to be an effective strategy from Alexander, who was up on the scorecards heading into the final round. 20-18 Alexander.
Alexander focused his attack on the body of Peterson in the third round, landing some heavy kicks. Peterson responded with a kick of his own, but it landed below the belt, resulting in a pause in the action while Alexander was given time to recover. When the fight resumed, Peterson shot for a takedown, but Alexander defended the attempt, and he took top position on the ground momentarily, landing some heavy ground and pound shots before allowing Peterson to his feet. Peterson reverted to the orthodox stance momentarily and was immediately punished by a heavy leg kick for his mistake. Alexander dropped Peterson as he pressed forward, and while Peterson quickly recovered, this was the exclamation mark on what was another dominant round for Alexander.
WINNER: Lucas Alexander by unanimous decision (30-27 all)
Alexander made his UFC debut late last year, on short notice. He was submitted in roughly two minutes, and we did not get to see much of what he had to offer as a fighter. We got a clearer picture of his abilities here, as he showcased his excellent striking throughout this fifteen-minute bout, more or less shutting Steven Peterson out here. It was a very strong performance and a far better indication of his potential as a fighter than he showcased in his UFC debut. After the fight, Peterson left his gloves in the octagon and announced his retirement from MMA. Peterson leaves the sport with a professional record of 19-11, highlighted by his spinning back fist knockout over Martin Bravo, as well as his Fight of the Night battles against Julian Erosa and Brandon Davis.
DANIEL PINEDA (27-3, 3 NC, 145.5) VS TUCKER LUTZ (12-2, 146) – FEATHERWEIGHT
Pineda secured an early takedown, but Lutz popped right back to his feet, before the fighters started wrestling against the cage. Eventually, the fighters separated and started trading heavy hands. Pineda was attacking the lead leg of Lutz, but was getting countered regularly, as he was throwing these leg kicks from the pocket. Lutz defended a takedown attempt, before landing a number of body shots against the cage. A short counter right hand dropped Lutz hard, however, Pineda didn’t capitalize quickly enough, and Lutz recovered. Pineda caught Lutz with a pair of right hands before the end of the round.
Lutz started looking for takedowns in the second round, but Pineda showcased some solid takedown defence. Pineda caught Lutz with a heavy knee to the head, before he started hunting for a choke, taking the back of Lutz. Pineda opted to move into top position, and he quickly locked in a guillotine choke, forcing Lutz to submit.
WINNER: Daniel Pineda by guillotine choke at 2:50 of Round 2
Pineda was the biggest underdog on the entire card, likely in large part due to the lengthy layoff, he faced prior to this fight, with his last fight taking place in June of 2021. Despite the layoff, he locked solid here, getting the better of Lutz on the feet as well as on the ground, where he ultimately finished the fight after hurting Lutz with a knee. Pineda now holds a record of 2-1 (1 NC) in the UFC, and remarkably, all twenty-eight of his professional wins have come by knockout or submission.
At this point in the broadcast, it was announced that “Cowboy” Donald Cerrone would be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame. Cerrone’s popularity first began to grow in the WEC, where he accumulated a total record of 6-3 (1 NC), challenging Benson Henderson twice for his WEC Lightweight Championship. When the WEC was absorbed by the UFC, Cerrone continued to thrive in the lightweight division, making a name for himself with his unbelievably high finishing rate, as well as the general entertainment of his wild fights. At one point, he won eight consecutive fights in the division, defeating the likes of Benson Henderson, Edson Barboza, and Eddie Alvarez, on his way to a shot at the UFC Lightweight Championship, a fight that he would lose to Rafael dos Anjos. After his loss to RDA, Cerrone moved up to the welterweight division, where he would spend the majority of the remaining years of his career, accumulating a record of 8-10 (1 NC) post-his title fight loss. While Cerrone was unquestionably past his prime throughout this final stretch of his career, it is the period in which he arguably had the majority of his highest-profile fights, as his star power had grown so much by the later years of his lengthy career. In the end, Cerrone retired from the sport in July of 2022, with a professional record of 36-17 (2 NC). Cerrone’s career was highlighted by wins over Charles Oliveira, Eddie Alvarez, Benson Henderson, Jeremy Stephens, Jim Miller, Edson Barboza, Matt Brown, Melvin Guillard, and Al Iaquinta. Cerrone is currently third all-time in UFC appearances, second in UFC wins, second for most finishes in the UFC, and holds the UFC records for most total knockdowns, as well as most post-fight bonuses.
CHIDI NJOKUANI (22-9, 1 NC, 185) VS ALBERT DURAEV (15-4, 186) – MIDDLEWEIGHT
Duraev swept Njokuani’s leg out from beneath him and partially took Njokuani’s back on the ground. Njokuani picked himself up against the cage but was unable to separate from Duraev, who continued to press him against the cage until Duraev eventually succeeded in taking Njokuani back down. This was not an entertaining round, and Duraev did not do a considerable amount of damage, nor did he ever threaten to finish Njokuani with a submission, but the only judgeable difference maker in the round was his wrestling, so this was a clear round in his favor. 10-9 Duraev.
The output was very low in the second round for both fighters. Duraev was the advancing fighter, throwing shots at a higher rate while Njokuani circled. Njokuani landed a straight left hand which was arguably the biggest shot of the fight to that point in the bout. Despite the impact of that shot, the offensive output was just ridiculously low for Njokuani, who had likely landed less than ten total strikes by the end of this round. I gave the round to Duraev, but you could really go either way on a round like this one. 20-18 Duraev.
Njokuani started the final round with a very hard kick to the body, and he partially landed a knee as Duraev shot in for a takedown. Njokuani defended the attempt, keeping the fight on its feet. This was Njokuani’s best round, as his strikes all looked quite impactful whenever they landed, but output continued to be his enemy, especially given the possibility that he was down on the scorecards going into this third round. This was another slow round, and the crowd voiced their displeasure as the final horn sounded. 29-28 Duraev.
WINNER: Albert Duraev by split decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-29)
This was a very dull fight. Njokuani’s output was so low throughout the fight, specifically the first two rounds, that it felt as though he was more or less just giving these rounds to Duraev, who was not terribly effective himself, but pulled ahead based on activity alone. It was far from a statement performance by either fighter, and the crowd turned on this fight very quickly, showering both fighters with boos until the fight mercifully ended. In the end, Duraev’s arm was raised, and he now holds a UFC record of 2-1.
ANDREA LEE (13-6, 126) VS MAYCEE BARBER (11-2, 125.5) – FLYWEIGHT
Barber found success with an early blitz, catching Lee repeatedly as she retreated and circled away from Barber. Lee powered Barber to the ground moments later, where she began to work from side control with just under three and a half minutes remaining in the round. Barber was able to trap the left arm of Lee momentarily, allowing her to land numerous elbows from bottom position, and this eventually allowed her to escape to her feet. Lee attacked the body of Barber, prompting Barber to attack the body of Lee in return. This was a very close round. 10-9 Lee.
The fighters traded strikes evenly on the feet throughout the opening minutes of the second round, with neither fighter gaining a clear advantage. Barber eventually changed levels and took Lee down, but Lee popped right back up to her feet. A big left hand from Barber landed with power, and Barber went on the attack as she attempted to finish the fight, but this allowed Lee to take the fight back to the ground. Lee returned to her feet and landed some strong kicks to the legs and body of Barber, moving back into top position at the end of the round. 19-19.
Lee was able to secure another takedown roughly a minute into the final round, but Barber shrugged Lee off of her, returning the fight to the feet. Barber seemed to be landing the stronger strikes, but the fight continued to be very competitive on the feet, with a fairly even output for both fighters. Barber secured a takedown with roughly two minutes remaining in the round, but Lee was able to escape right away, and she threw Barber down before allowing her back to her feet. Lee secured one final takedown in the fight’s final minute, ending the fight in top position. 29-28 Lee.
WINNER: Maycee Barber by split decision (29-28, 30-27, 28-29)
I gave the slight edge to Lee, but this was a very close fight. Lee was clearly the better grappler, but while they were fairly evenly matched strikers, Barber seemed to have just a bit more power, which was a big difference-maker throughout some close rounds. Barber was also quite active off of her back in the first round, throwing up some solid elbows, which were arguably more damaging strikes than anything Lee did from top position throughout that sequence. The crowd was very upset with the decision, and the commentary team seemed to disagree with the call as well, but I thought this one could have been scored either way, and was not opposed to the decision. Barber improved to 7-2 in the UFC with this win and has now won four consecutive fights.
NATE LANDWEHR (16-4, 145.5) VS AUSTIN LINGO (9-1, 146) – FEATHERWEIGHT
Lingo put the pressure on Landwehr in the opening minute, marching forward with some heavy combinations that were putting Landwehr on the retreat. It did not take Landwehr long to start firing back, and he began to land some very solid counters as Lingo continued to press forward. An accidental clash of heads opened up a cut near the right eye of Landwehr. Landwehr defended a takedown attempt later in the round, opting to keep the fight on the feet, where he nearly caught Lingo with a flush spinning back fist. Landwehr began to advance late in the round, but it was Lingo who landed the stronger combination to end the round.
The second round picked up where the previous round left off, with Landwehr advancing, while Lingo looked to counter with some heavy hooks. This was a very evenly fought round, with neither fighter really pulling ahead throughout, until a series of head kicks from Landwehr found their mark before he secured a takedown in the middle of the octagon. Lingo attempted to escape to his feet, but Landwehr sunk in a rear naked choke as Lingo turned his back, and Lingo was forced to submit.
WINNER: Nate Landwehr by rear naked choke at 4:11 of Round 2
Lingo found a lot of early success by pressuring forward and bringing the fight to Landwehr, but as the bout progressed, it was Landwehr who began to press forward, and the momentum of the bout shifted. It was largely a very evenly contested fight, but Landwehr eventually started to overwhelm Lingo with his attack and finished the fight moments later. Landwehr gave a charismatic post-fight interview, and he had the crowd completely behind him by the end of it. Landwehr improved to 4-2 in the UFC following this win, and he has now won three consecutive fights.
HOLLY HOLM (14-6, 135.5) VS YANA SANTOS (14-6, 1 NC, 135) – BANTAMWEIGHT
Santos brought the fight right to the cage, where she began to search for a takedown. There were multiple reversals in positioning before the fighters broke apart with half the round remaining. Holm opted to bring Santos back to the cage, however, where the fighters traded short knees before breaking apart. Holm connected with a solid left hand at one point, and certainly seemed to be the sharper striker. Still, the fight soon returned to the cage, where Holm landed a hard elbow, before connecting with a number of kicks to the body of Santos as they broke apart. Holm ended the round with a takedown, really securing this round in its final minute. 10-9 Holm.
A push kick to the body of Santos sent her to the ground momentarily in the opening minute of round two. Holm secured a takedown as Santos rushed in, and she began to work from top position with four minutes to work. Holm did good work from top position, working her way into side control where she was able to land some solid elbows. She eventually trapped Santos in the crucifix position, where she landed numerous elbows, before moving into top mount. Holm threw down ground and pound strikes from this position, nearly finishing the fight, but the horn sounded before she could secure the finish. 20-17 Holm.
Holm brought Santos right back to the ground in the opening minute of round three, and she began to work from top position once again, looking to secure the third-round finish. Holm looked for a few submissions, but Santos was wise to them, which forced Holm to go back to the ground and pound strikes, which were proving to be quite effective. Santos worked her way back to the feet, and the fighters separated with less than a minute remaining in the bout. Holm picked Santos up and slammed her down to the round, ending the fight in top position. 30-26 Holm.
WINNER: Holly Holm by unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-27)
The first minutes of this fight were quite competitive, as the fighters wrestled against the cage, but as the bout progressed, Holm began to utilize her wrestling, and from this point onwards, this became a very one-sided fight. Santos could not stop Holms takedowns and was largely unable to pick herself back up after being taken down. Holm was active from top position, doing considerable damage from top position while looking for submissions, and she never really let Santos back into the fight after her first takedown. In her post-fight interview, Holm made it clear that her goal is still to win back the UFC Bantamweight Championship, and she is willing to fight anyone that brings her one step closer to achieving that goal. I am unsure as to what that next step will be for Holm, but she remains very popular, and even at 41 years of age, Holm remains a step or two ahead of most of the division’s top fighters.
MARLON VERA (20-7-1, 136) VS CORY SANDHAGEN (15-4, 135.5) – BANTAMWEIGHT
The fighters did not tough gloves to start the main event. Sandhagen was the more active fighter throughout the opening round, attacking the head and body of Vera in combination. Sandhagen was chipping away at the lead leg of Vera as well, looking to slow his movement, and eventually opted to take Vera down, where Sandhagen started throwing down ground and pound strikes. Sandhagen was doing damage, but Vera managed to sneak in an elbow from underneath that cut Sandhagen up as well. This was largely a dominant round for Sandhagen. 10-9 Sandhagen.
Sandhagen dug into the body with a left hand early in round two, before he shot for a takedown. Vera responded with a guillotine attempt, but Sandhagen popped his head out and took top position with four minutes to work. Vera attempted to counter with a leg lock attempt, but the submission was avoided, and Sandhagen was able to maintain top position. Vera was eventually able to escape, but he was down big in the round and only had ninety seconds to work. Sandhagen continued to be the busier fighter, overwhelming Vera with his output, and Vera was having a lot of trouble getting going here, with only thirteen strikes landing to over a hundred from Sandhagen according to the commentary team. 20-18 Sandhagen.
Vera picked up his activity in the third round, but Sandhagen continued to be the busier fighter. A heavy left hand from Vera found its mark, and it was the best shot he had thrown to that point in the bout. Vera defended a takedown attempt from Sandhagen, who did not go back to the wrestling afterward. The fighters traded jabs, and Vera landed a series of calf kicks which seemed to have an effect on Sandhagen. This was the closest round of the fight to this point, but I thought Sandhagen’s edge in activity was enough to narrowly earn him this round as well. 30-27 Sandhagen.
Vera defended a trio of takedown attempts at the start of round four. The activity still was not quite there for Vera, who was arguably in need of a finish going into these final two rounds. Vera was a step behind Sandhagen, who was doing an excellent job of capitalizing on some of Vera’s weaknesses, not giving Vera many opportunities to land his shots with power. Vera was giving a better account of himself than he did throughout the first two rounds, but I still thought Sandhagen won this round as well with his activity. 40-36 Sandhagen.
Sandhagen landed a knee to the body before taking Vera down in the final round. Vera worked his way back to his feet, but the activity from Sandhagen continued to keep Vera hesitant, as he was forced to fight defensively to protect himself from Sandhagen’s constant attack. With a minute remaining in the fight, Vera was in desperate need of a finish, but that big shot did not come, and the fight went the distance. 50-45 Sandhagen.
WINNER: Cory Sandhagen by split decision (49-46, 50-45, 47-48)
Sandhagen was a step ahead of Vera throughout the entire night, often freezing Vera with his constant movement, stance switches, and general offensive activity. Vera’s output has been an issue for him in the past, but typically, he picks up the activity as the fight goes along, and lands with enough power to make up for the strike differential. That was not the case here, as Sandhagen continued to pour on the pressure throughout the later rounds, and Vera never got comfortable enough to unleash his own offense. One judge actually scored the fight for Vera, which is an absolutely insane, unjustifiable scorecard, but thankfully, two of the three judges saw the fight the right way, and Sandhagen was rewarded for this masterful performance. After the fight, Sandhagen acknowledged that Merab Dvalishvili should be the top contender for the championship, and to earn a title shot himself, Merab is the fighter to beat. I think Dvalishvili/Sandhagen would be an excellent matchup, and I would not be surprised in the slightest if that is the next fight we see for the two bantamweight contenders.
