Cory Sandhagen Defeats Marlon Vera by Split Decision
Official Result: Cory Sandhagen 50-45 49-46, Marlon Vera 48-47
In a thrilling main event at UFC San Antonio, Cory Sandhagen re-affirmed his standing as one of the top contenders in the bantamweight division with a split decision victory over Marlon Vera.
The Fight
The first round was a closely contested affair, with both fighters landing significant strikes. Sandhagen seemed to have the edge in the striking exchanges, while Vera was able to take Sandhagen down a few times.
Sandhagen began to take control of the fight in the second round, using his superior reach and footwork to keep Vera at bay. He landed several hard kicks to Vera's body and head, and also scored a takedown of his own.
Vera came out strong in the third round, and nearly finished Sandhagen with a guillotine choke. However, Sandhagen was able to escape and regain control of the fight. He continued to land hard strikes and took Vera down again.
The fourth round was another close one, with both fighters landing significant strikes. However, Sandhagen seemed to have the edge in the striking exchanges, and he also landed a takedown late in the round.
Vera came out swinging in the fifth and final round, but Sandhagen was able to weather the storm and land several hard strikes of his own. The round ended with both fighters trading punches, with Sandhagen landing the cleaner shots.
Conclusion
In the end, the judges scored the fight 50-45, 49-46, and 48-47 in favor of Sandhagen. The win was a big one for Sandhagen, as it puts him back in the title picture. It also snapped Vera's four-fight winning streak.
Sandhagen is now expected to face the winner of the upcoming fight between Petr Yan and Merab Dvalishvili for the bantamweight title.
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