UFC San Antonio: Marlon Vera vs. Cory Sandhagen preview

Given we’re in the middle of a stretch of 3 UFC PPV’s over a stretch of 6 weekends, it’s a surprise the UFC has actually had the ability to put as numerous quality battles on their current Fight Night cards. The last Fight Night card included Petr Yan and Merab Dvalishvili at the top of the card, however it wasn’t the only contest on the card. Alexander Volkov, who had actually headlined 7 cards, remained in the co-main occasion. Nikita Krylov and Ryan Spann were set up to heading a card previously this year prior to a late cancellation of that battle. UFC San Antonio has comparable depth. Marlon Vera might make himself a title shot if he can get rid of current interim title opposition, Cory Sandhagen. Not just is Holly Holm a previous champ, she’s headlined 7 cards, consisting of one simply in 2015 and 3 of those cards being PPV’s. There’s likewise Manel Kape, whom numerous think can end up being the super star the UFC has actually been awaiting in the flyweight department. Like Vera, Kape might be a triumph far from a title shot. Because the UFC started running cards on the routine week to week, this might effectively be the most excellent stretch of 5 occasions they’ve ever created. Provided the spat of offerings from other companies and it’s safe to state there has actually never ever been a much better time to be an MMA fan. For the prelims sneak peek, click on this link. For an audio sneak peek, click on this link. Marlon Vera vs. Cory Sandhagen, Bantamweight This is among the most convenient UFC centerpieces to break down that I’ve seen in a long time. That barely implies it’s a simple contest to select, however the fundamentals of the contest are basic. Vera is a powerhouse; Sandhagen is a volume device. Very little else to it, a minimum of on the surface area. That isn’t to state Sandhagen is incapable of completing his challengers; his last 3 wins have actually been surfaces. That isn’t to state Vera can’t win a choice either; half of his triumphes in his present four-fight win streak have actually been choices. There is an unique distinction in how each of them get to those points. Sandhagen tends to toss a barrage of strikes at his challenger, frustrating them up until either the collected damage develops a blockage or springing an attack on them in the middle of the barrage that ends up the task. In basic, it may look like this is the more secure method, however Sandhagen’s technique has actually regularly left him open up to being countered. He continuously tossed spinning attacks at TJ Dillashaw that Dillashaw countered by taking Sandhagen’s back in the middle of the spin. To be reasonable, Sandhagen has actually softened the quantity of high-risk maneuvers because that time, however his total hostility still leaves him susceptible defensively. Vera is much more patient than Sandhagen. It might be argued his greatest weak point is his absence of volume, even with him having actually considerably enhanced his output from his early days in the UFC. Vera’s main kinds of attack is keeping his jab in his challenger’s face and throwing away a barrage of kicks. The kicks tend to mainly concentrate on the legs, however he has no issue concerns in tossing them to all locations. The range of kicks is excellent too. Front kicks, push kicks, head kicks … even upkicks when he’s on his back have actually shown to be reliable for Vera. The factor Vera has actually discovered success is the deadly nature of his strikes. Yes, his kicks are thought about to be his most harmful strike, truly so. Vera has power in his fists and elbows in the clinch too. Kicking variety isn’t the only location where Vera can complete his challengers. What the contest boils down to is how well one thinks Sandhagen’s chin will hold up. Sandhagen has actually never ever been ended up by strikes. He has actually been sent– and Vera has among the most harmful guards in the department– however he’s never ever been put away with strikes. Sandhagen has actually dealt with a few of the very best in the department too. John Lineker, Marlon Moraes, and Petr Yan are a few of the most poisonous strikers that have actually occupied the bantamweight department recently. Plus, the 2 males Vera last ended up, Dominick Cruz and Frankie Edgar, were UFC champs over a years earlier. Simply put, while they have actually been worthy of name worth, they likewise have a LOT of mileage on their bodies. It was not a surprise their bodies were not able to endure the power of Vera. On the other hand, Vera has actually established a genuine mean streak in the last few years. He’s constantly been a KO hazard, however there is a malicious streak that wasn’t there in his early profession. Plus, he’s been acquiring knockdowns at an unprecedented rate for the bantamweight department. In back-to-back battles, he’s acquired 3 knockdowns, plus numerous other times where he harmed his challenger without them striking the mat. While Vera tends to begin sluggish, much of that has to do with him collecting checks out. He has an intuition of understanding how to process those checks out so he can exploit his challenger’s holes. Possibly most significantly, while Vera takes a great deal of damage, he takes it well. His rate is so intentional, he tends to see whatever coming his method. As they state, it’s what you can’t see that gets ya … There’s no doubt this contest is going to be a barnburner and extremely competitive. Anybody who informs you they understand who is going to win is lying. Much like me, they have their factors for why they think a specific result will emerge, however that’s it. Eventually, I’m leaning towards Vera. He has momentum and self-confidence, in addition to Sandhagen existing to be struck. Sandhagen is difficult as nails, however he has actually been harmed prior to. If there is a crack in the armor, Vera is going to have 5 rounds to exploit it. Plus, the last person to beat Vera, Jose Aldo, made use of a great deal of grappling control to beat Vera. I do not believe Sandhagen has the kind of safety-first technique that would win him rounds because way. Rather, I anticipate he’ll put himself at the grace of Vera for the totality of the battle. Not that he can’t win– there’s a great deal of various methods for this contest to play out– however I prefer the meaner fighter in this one. Vera by means of TKO of RD3 Holly Holm vs. Yana Santos, Women’s Bantamweight Regardless of whether you think Holm must have been granted the success over Ketlen Vieira, it can’t be rejected that she didn’t look the like she did prior to her 19-month layoff due to knee surgical treatment. Maybe her unsteady efficiency was because of not having actually gotten rid of all the cage rust, possibly it was since Holm had actually entered her 40’s by that point. What can’t be rejected is Holm has actually done her part to reduce any physical decrease as she remained in wonderful shape and still seems. I do not think I’ve ever seen a variation of Holm where she appeared to be in anything other than ideal shape. Holm still had the conditioning to go 5 rounds successfully. It was that she wasn’t moving with the exact same speed and effectiveness as we’ve all grown familiar with that eventually led to her loss. If age was the main offender, there isn’t far more Holm can do. Daddy Time comes for all of us. If it was cage rust following the long layoff, there’s no factor to think she will not be back to the type we’ve pertained to get out of her. Provided how quickly Holm has actually had the ability to shift to featherweight sometimes without appearing like she’s quiting any size at that class, it’s a marvel she’s constantly had such excellent cardio at 135. As Holm has actually advanced in her profession, she’s ended up being more dependent on making her contests a fight of attrition. She has actually often pressed her challengers versus the cage, making use of elbows, brief punches, and knees to use them down while preserving extended periods of control. It isn’t quite, however it has actually worked … when she’s the larger fighter. Although Santos has experience battling as heavy at light-weight, I ‘d state it’s safe to state Holm will be the larger fighter. Not that Santos is most likely to be controlled needs to the battle happen versus the cage for long stretches. Santos has actually had the most success in her UFC run with those types of battle, magnificent curious for lots of offered her background was as a striker. Even if Santos hasn’t measured up to her track record as a striker, her clinch ground video game have actually shown to offset that, mainly due to her being above typical athletically in a department that is brief on professional athletes. That stated, when she has actually lost in the UFC, it has actually come versus exceptional professional athletes. Even even worse, she’s lost in incredible style each time. 2 years back, nobody would be reluctant to choose Holm in this contest. Santos is well-rounded, however not really unsafe. Provided Holm didn’t look herself versus Vieira– consisting of getting injured on a number of celebrations– she might extremely well be in a long-term decrease. If she is, I expect Holm will do definitely whatever in her power to slow the decrease. Therefore, offered Santos’ UFC losses have actually come versus fighters who were plainly exceptional professional athletes, it feels safe to state Holm will triumph. Plus, this will be Santos’ very first contest given that delivering. She is at the benefit of having actually returned from pregnancy prior to, so she has a concept of what to anticipate. Once again, the very first time was about a years earlier and the modification might be more hard this time around. Anticipate there to be great deals of clinching versus the cage with the previous champ returning on track. Holm through choice Andrea Lee vs. Maycee Barber, Women’s Flyweight Barber is among the most polarizing figures on the lineup. When she initially signed up with the lineup, she was declaring she was going to be the youngest champ, breaking Jon Jones record. Hubris overcame her, as a torn ACL versus smart veteran Roxanne Modafferi overthrew those hopes. Barber’s bumpy rides weren’t over with that loss, however she has given that rebounded and is presently on a three-fight winning streak. The polarization is whether she still is worthy of the push she is being offered. The existing winning streak isn’t without debate, as the majority of thought she lost to Miranda Maverick and the other challengers agreed with matches for her. To be reasonable, Barber should not have actually been pressed as she remained in the top place. The problem is she openly talked a huge video game and the UFC felt required to offer her every chance to reach that objective. Now that she’s being brought along at an affordable speed, she’s had the ability to reveal development and maturity. To put it in the easiest method possible, she’s not as bad as her critics state, even if she isn’t as great as her advocates declare. What can’t be rejected is she is physically talented. Exceptionally strong for the weight class, she’s a bully in the cage, tossing with power and pressing her challenger versus the cage for long stretches. It isn’t the most beautiful and she still has a long method to enter regards to honing her tools. That’s where Lee might have the ability to overthrow her. While Lee has actually long been admired for her Muay Thai background, she has actually constantly been brief on power. Simply put, she regularly has actually had the ability to outland her challengers on the feet, however still handles to come out on the brief end of the choice. Once again, that has less to do with Lee’s absence of power and more to do with her determination to battle where her challenger desires to battle. Lee is well-rounded, efficient in battling and grappling some, despite the fact that she’s at her finest battling on the exterior. Lee’s ego gets the very best of her and informs her she can win in those locations. She can … simply not each time. She isn’t winning those exchanges many of the time. What she must do is regularly put herself in positions that offer her the very best opportunity of winning. If she had actually been doing that considering that entering the UFC, it’s possible she might have currently defended the title. There’s no doubt Barber is the physically remarkable professional athlete in this contest. She strikes harder, she’s more powerful, and she’s much faster. What she does not have is the battle IQ that tends to come with experience. She has actually been growing because element, however she’s still a method far from where she’s going to be when she’s in her combating prime. For this battle, it might be where it requires to be, supplied she continues to hone the tools in her shed. I’m not encouraged they are. Lee’s clinch– Barber’s preferred location to run– transcends to anybody Barber has actually dealt with. Plus, I do not understand if Barber has knowledge to cut off Lee’s angles on the outdoors regularly. Include the reality that Lee is battling in front of her house crowd– and Texas judges are infamously homers– and I smell an upset developing. Lee through choice Alex Perez vs. Manel Kape, Flyweight As I showed in the intro, numerous think it will just refer time prior to Kape is defending a title. It would not be reasonable to call him a possibility when he was signed by the UFC, he wasn’t precisely an ended up item. The UFC tossed him into the deep end anyhow, pitting him versus the most likely next title opposition in Alexandre Pantoja. Dropping that battle– along with his sophomore effort versus Matheus Nicolau– revealed Kape required a bit more flavoring. Because that time, Kape has actually revealed precisely why the UFC was so high up on his capabilities. Extremely couple of flyweights have actually shown to have the power of Kape. Even less have actually revealed the dynamism. John Lineker and John Dodson both had the power, however nearly entirely in their fists. Deiveson Figueiredo has to do with the only other one who can match the flexibility of Kape. You call the method, Kape can toss it with power and precision. That isn’t to state he could not tighten up things up some, however he can blow up with a flying attack when his challenger is least anticipating it as his level of surge is unequaled. At least in terms of wins and loses, Kape is more showman than fighter, permitting for minutes of lack of exercise. At the same time, Kape’s challengers get to spend time if he does not put them away right now like David Dvorak did. That stated, there’s a factor to think he will not do that with Perez. Dvorak is a. point fighter with very little power. Perez is the kind of fighter to take the battle to him. It’s been a true blessing and a curse for him. He’s provided some outstanding surfaces by frustrating his opposition. He overwhelmed Jose Torres with 84 strikes in less than 4 minutes to get him out of the cage. He likewise ended up Jussier Formiga with leg kicks within the preliminary. He was likewise steamrolled by Figueiredo and Pantoja– his last 2 challengers– in less than 2 minutes as they were all set for his aggressiveness. Possibly most informing for this contest, they transcended professional athletes. The concern with Perez is he’s a typical professional athlete at finest, a minimum of in regards to the flyweight department. His speed is minimal and he does not have the power to deal with his challengers with a single strike. Those he’s had the ability to overwhelm have actually been restricted professional athletes. As currently specified, Kape is among the very best professional athletes in the department, if not the very best. Up there with the likes of Figueiredo and Pantoja. I’ve made it clear who I prefer. That does not suggest Perez does not have a roadway to success. He’s the much better wrestler and might have the ability to grind out an awful choice, specifically if Kape strolls in believing triumph is owed to him. Kape appears to comprehend he requires a win more than he requires an emphasize reel if he desires a title shot. He currently has actually scored a set of excellent surfaces and had a number of minutes versus Dvorak that can be contributed to his reel, even if he didn’t get the surface. Plus, Kape’s grappling has actually significantly enhanced from his time in Rizin, even if it’s almost packing takedowns and returning to his feet. Offered Perez’s hostility, I anticipate a surface to occur. Kape through KO of RD 1 If you’re believing you simply checked out Austin Lingo, you ‘d be proper. He was set up to eliminate Ricardo Ramos simply 2 weeks prior to this occasion, however Ramos’ dreadful weight cut– he can be found in at 154 for a featherweight contest– triggered a cancellation of the contest. While I value the UFC getting him back in the cage rapidly, it likewise needs to be an issue that he’s cutting weight once again to the featherweight limitation. If it hasn’t impacted him too terribly, Lingo has actually shown himself to be a strong pressure fighter who tosses with power. The issue is, Nate Landwehr does the exact same thing and has actually done so versus a greater level of competitors. The list of fighters who push a more difficult rate than Landwehr is brief. Landwehr battled Darren Elkins in the design of battle Elkins prospers on … and emerged triumphant. Approved, it wasn’t a prime Elkins, however it’s still a hell of an achievement. The something Lingo has that Landwehr does not is one-punch power. Landwehr has actually generally been resilient, however he has actually been put away rapidly when he’s been captured by surprise. If you’re standing in front of him trading fisticuffs, you most likely require a baseball bat to put him down. Bottom line is Landwehr will press Lingo like he’s never ever been pressed. We’re going to find out a lot about Lingo, however provided his cardio will not be assisted by a 2nd fast weight cut, I have a tough time thinking Landwehr will not emerge triumphant. Landwehr by means of TKO of RD3 If one were to explain the most curious finalizing out of DWCS, lots of would single out Chidi Njokuani. Previously a component in Bellator– he even headlined among their cards– it appeared odd for him to take the path to the promo provided he was 26 battles into his profession at that point. It’s generally potential customers who go the path of DWCS. He’s ended up being a fantastic addition. Had ringside medical professionals considered the cut on Gregory Rodrigues’ head to be too dangerous to send him back out, Njokuani would be sitting with a 3-0 record. Now that he’s not eliminating himself to make 170, he’s had the ability to open his offense, tossing with higher frequency and power. On the other side, Albert Duraev has actually shown to be rather of a dissatisfaction given that his DWCS finalizing. Getting in the UFC with a credibility as a mauler, Duraev’s fumbling hasn’t come close to matching its pre-UFC credibility. When he does get the takedown, his control has actually been a variety. The majority of worrying, Duraev’s chin is ending up being a significant issue, having actually suffered knockdowns in each of his UFC contests. In regards to pure striking method, Njokuani seems exceptional to either of Duraev’s previous UFC challengers. Offered he isn’t doing not have for power, I believe Njokuani can put a harming on Duraev, though his absence of lateral motion has me thinking Duraev is a live pet dog once the battle is beyond the preliminary. Njokuani through TKO of RD1 Reserve your user name for the brand-new Bloody Elbow prior to April 1, 2023. Go here for more information (link).