The UFC's bantamweight division is on quite a roll. Various contenders have emerged in a busy division that will have eyes on champion Aljamain Sterling vs. Henry Cejudo at UFC 288. Could a statement win by Marlon Vera or Cory Sandhagen determine the next contender following that bout?
Vera and Sandhagen face off at the AT&T Center in San Antonio on March 25. It is the rare fight night outside the APEX Center.
Joining the UFC in 2014, Vera is 14-6 with the promotion and holds the record for the most finishes (10) in UFC bantamweight history. Losing against Jose Aldo in 2020, "Chito" is on a four-fight win streak. His last fight was a knockout win over Dominick Cruz in August.
Confident, Vera believes the game plan against Sandhagen is simple: outwork him.
MORE: Sign up to watch UFC San Antonio: Vera vs. Sandhagen on ESPN+
“He needs to convince himself of being OK to win,” Vera told MMA Junkie. “I don’t need to say anything about him to think I’m going to win. I’m going to win because I’m working this hard. So, if he thinks my style is not reliable or whatever he thinks, that’s on him. He’s going to wake up and be like, ‘F---, I got caught.’ But you didn’t get caught, you got knocked the f--- out, or you got submitted.”
Sandhagen made his pro debut in 2015. Joining the UFC in 2018, the Colorado-born star has gone 7-3 with the promotion.
In July 2021, Sandhagen lost to T.J. Dillashaw in the latter's return from a two-year suspension. After failing to capture the interim UFC bantamweight title against Petr Yan, Sandhagen bounced back with a TKO win over Song Yadong in September.
“The Sandman” was offered a fight with Vera after the Yadong bout, but he turned it down, believing he had a valid reason for it.
“The UFC offered me that fight on three weeks’ notice after it was about a month after I had fought Yadong,” Sandhagen said on Instagram via MMA Junkie. “Chito, you called out guys in the top five and then fought down in the rankings and fought Cruz. Do I blame you for doing that? Of course I don’t. It’s the draw. But don’t try to make it sound like I’m afraid of you, bro.”
Here is all you need to know about UFC San Antonio, from the start time, channel, odds, fight card, and more.
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When is UFC San Antonio: Marlon Vera vs. Cory Sandhagen?
- Date: Saturday, March 25 | Sunday, March 26
- Prelims: 4 p.m. ET | 8 p.m. GMT | 7 a.m. AEDT
- Main card: 7 p.m ET | 11 p.m. GMT | 10 a.m. AEDT
- Main event: 10 p.m. ET | 2 a.m. GMT | 1 p.m. AEDT (approx.)
UFC San Antonio takes place on March 25. The prelims start at 4 p.m. ET | 8 p.m. GMT | 7 a.m. AEDT, followed by the main card at 7 p.m. ET | 11 p.m. GMT | 10 a.m. AEDT. Vera and Sandhagen should enter the octagon around 10 p.m. ET | 2 a.m. GMT | 1 p.m. AEDT, depending on how long the undercard fights last.
How to watch UFC San Antonio: Marlon Vera vs. Cory Sandhagen
| Country | Date | Channel + Live Stream (main card) |
| United States | Sat. March 25 | ESPN+ |
| United Kingdom | Sat. March 25 | BT Sport |
| Australia | Sun. March 26 | Kayo |
The prelims and main card for UFC San Antonio will be available on the ESPN+ streaming service.
MORE: Sign up to watch UFC San Antonio: Vera vs. Sandhagen on ESPN+
Vera vs. Sandhagen price: How much does UFC San Antonio cost?
You can pay $9.99 for a monthly subscription to ESPN+ or buy an annual subscription for $99.99.
| Product | Prices |
|---|---|
| ESPN+ Monthly Subscription | $9.99/month |
| ESPN+ Annual Subscription | $99.99/year |
| The Disney Bundle w/Hulu Ad-Supported | $12.99/month |
| The Disney Bundle w/Hulu No-Ads | $19.99/month |
Where is UFC San Antonio: Marlon Vera vs. Cory Sandhagen?
Vera vs. Sandhagen will be inside the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas. Home to the San Antonio Spurs, the arena can hold up to 19,000+ people.
Marlon Vera vs. Cory Sandhagen odds for UFC San Antonio
Per Caesars, Cory Sandhagen is the -160 favorite, while Marlon Vera is the +135 underdog.
In Canada, per Sports Interaction, Cory Sandhagen is the -155 favorite, while Marlon Vera is the +120 underdog.
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Marlon Vera record, bio
- Nationality: Ecuadorian
- Born: December 2, 1992
- Height: 5-8
- Reach: 70.5 inches
- Total fights: 28
- Record: 20-7-1 with eight wins via knockout
Cory Sandhagen record, bio
- Nationality: American
- Born: April 20, 1992
- Height: 5-11
- Reach: 70 inches
- Total fights: 19
- Record: 15-4 with seven wins via knockout
UFC San Antonio: Marlon Vera vs. Cory Sandhagen fight card
Main Card
- Marlon Vera vs. Cory Sandhagen; Bantamweights
- Holly Holm vs. Yana Kunitskaya; Bantamweights
- Nate Landwehr vs. Austin Lingo; Featherweights
- Andrea Lee vs. Maycee Barber; Flyweights
- Alex Perez vs. Manel Kape; Flyweights
- Chidi Njokuani vs. Albert Duraev; Middleweights
Prelims
- Daniel Pineda vs. Tucker Lutz; Featherweights
- Steven Peterson vs. Lucas Alexander; Featherweights
- Trevin Giles vs. Preston Parsons; Welterweights
- C.J. Vergara vs. Daniel da Silva; Flyweights
- Victor Altamirano vs. Vinicius Salvador; Flyweights
