UFC On ESPN 43 “Vera Vs Sandhagen” + Weekly MMA Report
UFC 286 was a banger, there were so many high-level bouts. The UFC welterweight belt didn’t change its owner. Despite a point deduction, Leon Edwards outworked Kamaru Usman in the capital of England for a majority decision win. In the co-main, Justin Gaethje made more damage in the bout against Rafael Fiziev to win a close decision after three rounds of bloody and battered war.
UFC 286 Awards
The co-main event of the evening ended in a bloody mess, so Dana White was impressed and both of the fighters (Gaethje and Fiziev) were given an extra 50k for their top-notch 15 minutes of war (Fight of the Night award).
A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR THESE WARRIORS 👏 #UFC286 pic.twitter.com/xPfcxAC85l
— UFC (@ufc) March 18, 2023
Jake Hadley scored a Performance of the Night award with a nasty left uppercut to the liver win over Malcolm Gordon, while the second POTN award was given to Gunnar Nelson, who finished Bryan Barbarena via armbar from the mount.
THAT WILL GET THE PEOPLE GOING!!!!! 🤯@JakeHadleyMMA with a first round finish at #UFC286 pic.twitter.com/AckCQbjUli
— UFC (@ufc) March 18, 2023
He's just too crafty on the ground 😮💨@GunniNelson with the armbar finish! #UFC286 pic.twitter.com/qDOp1FwtLm
— UFC (@ufc) March 18, 2023
UFC On ESPN 43 Announcement
The greatest MMA promotion returns to the USA. This weekend, the event will take place in San Antonio, and it is headlined by the combat between technical expert Cory Sandhagen and the all-time greatest Ecuadorian mixed martial artist Marlon Vera.
Image source: @UFCBrasil Twitter
Cory Sandhagen is known for his great pace, superb angling, and some of the greatest counters in the game. He is also a nasty cardio machine who took part in many five-round wars against some of the greatest bantamweights in the world.
Cory is a master of long wars, feinting, and transitions. His stand-up game is out of this world and he can really take a beating.
The all-time greatest fighter from Ecuador, Marlon Vera, is the only guy who defeated number 1 bantamweight contender Sean O’Malley. His BJJ is outstanding, plus his Muay Thai background turned him into one of the best elbow guys in the game. Marlon’s elbows on the ground are creating a significant amount of damage, but he could gas if the combat advances into later rounds.
Prediction: Cory to win
In the co-main event of the evening, the popular “female Cro Cop” and master of left high kick, Holly Holm, returns after a lay-off to square off against very tough pressure fighter Yana Santos (her last name used to be Kunitskaya, changed after she married to the UFC 205-pounder Thiago “Marreta” Santos). This is a hard fight to call, as both of the girls are very well-rounded.
Prediction: over 2.5 rounds
UFC On ESPN 43 Full Fight Card
Please take a look at the UFC San Antonio full fight card below, and please check this link too because of potential last-minute changes.
Main Card (ESPN, UFC on Fight Pass, 7 PM ET, midnight UK time)
Bantamweight: Marlon Vera (22-7-1) vs. Cory Sandhagen (15-4-0)
Bantamweight: Holly Holm (14-6-0) vs. Yana Santos (14-6-0)
Featherweight: Nate Landwehr (16-4-0) vs. Austin Lingo (9-1-0)
Flyweight: Andrea Lee (13-6-0) vs. Maycee Barber (11-2-0)
Flyweight: Alex Perez (24-7-0) vs. Manel Kape (18-6-0)
Middleweight: Chidi Njokuani (22-8-0) vs. Albert Duraev (15-4-0)
Main Card (ESPN+, UFC on Fight Pass, 4 PM ET, 9 PM UK time)
Featherweight: Daniel Pineda (27-14-0) vs. Tucker Lutz (12-2-0)
Featherweight: Steven Peterson (19-10-0) vs. Lucas Alexander (7-3-0)
Welterweight: Trevin Giles (15-4-0) vs. Preston Parsons (10-3-0)
Flyweight: CJ Vergara (10-4-1) vs. Daniel da Silva (11-4-0)
Lightweight: Manuel Torres (13-2-0) vs. Trey Ogden (16-5-0)
Flyweight: Vinicius Salvador (14-4-0) vs. Victor Altamirano (11-2-0)
Bantamweight: Tamires Vidal (7-1-0) vs. Hailey Cowan (7-2-0)
UFC San Antonio Predictions
Check my picks and predictions for the upcoming UFC fight card below.
This card doesn’t look too stacked on the piece of paper, but many young fighters are willing to prove their skills to the UFC head honcho Dana White. Please give it a shot and sit next to your watching device on Saturday at 4 PM ET!
