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Marlon Vera's star is on the rise in the stacked UFC bantamweight division, meaning Cory Sandhagen will have a lot at stake when they compete in the UFC San Antonio main event.
Sandhagen is coming off a fourth-round doctor's stoppage win over Song Yadong and has his sights set on getting back into the title picture at 135 pounds.
His latest result snapped a two-fight losing streak that saw him fall to defeat in a close split decision to former champion T.J. Dillashaw and a unanimous decision against Petr Yan in an interim bantamweight championship bout.
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Next time out, 'The Sandman' will need to dictate the pace of the fight as he looks to halt Vera's momentum and earn the win. 'Chito' has looked incredible during his four-fight winning streak, which includes a dominant unanimous decision win over Rob Font and knockout wins over former lightweight champion Frankie Edgar and former bantamweight king Dominick Cruz.
Sandhagen is known for being a high volume striker, so his path to victory will be to wear Vera down. He also has an unorthadox style that has been compared to Cruz, so he could use the Ecuadorian's recent fight with the former champion as a reference to find areas he can exploit.
Finally, 'The Sandman' will need to take advantage of his pre-fight media obligations and get more attention on himself as a worthy title challenger. Vera has done a great job remaining in the discussion with the top bantamweight contenders, something 'The Sandman' needs to replicate.
If the 30-year-old can get a decisive win, he could put himself in a great position as it pertains to the bantamweight rankings.
Cory Sandhagen vs. Marlon Vera moved to UFC on ESPN 43
After the promotion received criticism for booking Cory Sandhagen vs. Marlon Vera at the UFC Apex, the highly anticipated bout was moved to UFC on ESPN 43, which takes place at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas, on March 25.
ESPN MMA's Brett Okamoto confirmed that the bout, which was originally scheduled to headline a UFC Fight Night event on February 18, will now go down in front of a crowd.
"The UFC has shifted a bantamweight main event between Marlon Vera and Cory Sandhagen from February 18 to March 25, sources confirmed to @bokamotoESPN. The bout will now serve as the main event at UFC Fight Night in San Antonio."
Moving the fight from the UFC Apex to the AT&T Center in San Antonio was an excellent decision by the promotion. The pair's exciting fighting styles will surely have the crowd fully invested, which should lead to a memorable event.
