After a banger of a Numbered event, the UFC is taking the trip into San Antonio, Texas, to host an exciting 13-bout Fight Night headlined by an excellent Bantamweight fight that could turn into a total barnburner.
The Main event will see Marlon “Chito” Vera and Cory Sandhagen go at it to see who can make it into a title shot the fastest, as both fighters are legit contenders right now.
The co-main event is the clash between the Former Champion Holly Holm and Yana Santos in the Female Bantamweight Division.
The main card will also feature 4 other fights between up-and-coming fighters making their statements to turn into contenders.
We will enjoy a lot of fast-paced action, as 10 out of 13 fights are either at or under the 145 divisions; not much love for the bigger guys at this card, but that means we will see a lot of activity in the Octagon.
This fight night includes a total of 13 fights, with 6 on the main card and 7 on the prelims.
You can check all the UFC/MMA bets, the analysis of each fighter, and the final bet you can make in this fight.
UFC Fight Night: Vera vs. Sandhagen Betting Odds and Fight Card Picks – Info
When:
Saturday, March 25th, at 4:00 pm ET
Moneyline odds:
Marlon Vera -133/ Cory Sandhagen -172
Holly Holm -250 / Yana Santos +189
Nate Landwehr -238 / Austin Lingo +180
Andrea Lee +204 / Maycee Barber -270
Alex Perez +146 / Manel Kape -188
Chidi Njokuani -169 / Albert Duraev +131
Daniel Pineda +210 / Tucker Lutz -277
Steven Peterson -169 / Lucas Alexander +132
Trevin Giles -111 / Preston Parsons -114
CJ Vergara -256 / Daniel da Silva +195
Manuel Torres -156 / Trey Ogden +122
Vinicius Salvador -119 / Victor Altamirano -107
Tamires Vidal +101 / Hailey Cowan -128
Where can I watch it?
UFC Fight Night: Marlon Vera vs. Cory Sandhagen
Why Bet on Marlon Vera?
Although Vera (20-7-1) is in his ninth year with the promotion, he is still just 30 and appears to be coming into his prime.
The Ecuadorian fighter is known for his relentless pace in which he assaults his opponents with a blur of punches, elbows, and kicks until they ultimately succumb.
Vera is probably best known for his thudding upset knockout of previously unbeaten prospect Sean O’Malley in August 2020.
He added to his growing highlight reel with a head-kick knockout of former champion Dominick Cruz last August, his fourth consecutive victory.
Why Bet on Cory Sandhagen?
Sandhagen (15-4) comes from a kickboxing background and used to compete in the World Kickboxing Association.
This base is evident, as he relies on precision timing and technique to pepper his opponents with strikes at range while staying out of harm’s way.
Not long after Sandhagen made his UFC debut in January 2018, numerous MMA analysts predicted the Colorado native would soon become the division’s champion.
Sandhagen won his first five UFC outings but has gone 3-3 since, with all three defeats coming against current or former champions.
Marlon Vera vs. Cory Sandhagen Final Betting Analysis:
Chito has immense power for this division, boasting a whopping six knockdowns over his last two fights against Cruz and Rob Font.
That said, he was badly outstruck in terms of volume in both fights and needed to land the more damaging shots to pull off the victory.
His output can be uneven at times and he tends to be a slow starter, meaning he often loses the first couple of rounds.
If that’s the case, he’s going to have to either be perfect in the final three rounds or finish Sandhagen if he wants the W.
That’s easier said than done because Sandhagen has been stopped inside the distance just once in his career and managed to go the full 25 minutes in competitive bouts against Yan and Dillashaw.
As dangerous as Vera is as a kickboxer, he isn’t any more technical than Yan and Dillashaw when it comes to striking.
Sandhagen’s footwork makes him significantly tougher to light up than a past-his-prime Cruz or Font, which means Sandman should be able to get up on the scorecards and pull off the victory.
UFC Fight Night: Holly Holm vs. Yana Santos
Why Bet on Holly Holm?
Holm has recently signed a new six-fight deal with the promotion. The former champion will hope to make one last title bid before she calls time on her career.
Holm is 7-6 in the UFC but of these six losses, five came against former or current champions including Amanda Nunes.
A popular UFC pick, Holm remains one of the division’s best strikers. She may not have too many knockout wins, but Holm consistently scores decision victories thanks to being tough to hit.
Why Bet on Yana Santos?
Santos has had some mixed results in her life since she last fought. On the downside, she suffered a brutal TKO loss to Irene Aldana.
On the bright side, she broke UFC news by announcing her pregnancy. The layoff plus the arrival of her new child could be a good motivator for the veteran.
All of her UFC losses have come via ground-and-pound. Her weakness is grappling.
But both Aldana and Aspen Ladd also lit her up. She only absorbs 2.94 significant strikes per minute but could be more battle-worn than Holm.
Holly Holm vs. Yana Santos Final Betting Analysis:
Holm is the more advanced and fluid striker here so she’s the right side to favor in our books.
Santos may also have renewed will to fight but so does Holm with her friend and teammate Jon Jones having a triumphant return.
In a three-round fight, Holm should start fast and outstrike Santos en route to a decision victory.
UFC Fight Night: Nate Landwehr vs. Austin Lingo
Why Bet on Nate Landwehr?
It will be nearly 600 days since Lingo stepped inside an octagon. While he was supposed to face Ricardo Ramos a few weeks back — a fight he was also an underdog — this is a big ask for the Texan.
Landwehr comes into this fight after his barbaric war with David Onama with questions about how his chin will hold up against another aggressive striker.
Nate “The Train” displayed incredible resiliency after Onama had him out. He stormed back to capture a majority decision in one of the best fights of 2022.
Why Bet on Austin Lingo?
After a strong run on LFA, Lingo’s transition to the UFC has been plagued by inactivity and injury.
He’s 2-1 since joining the promotion with his last win coming against Luis Saldana in 2021.
He’s a strong striker and he’ll have to keep the fight standing to test Landwehr’s chin.
The Dallas native lands 4.0 significant strikes per minute at 42% accuracy, and has an impressive 80% takedown defense accuracy.
Nate Landwehr vs. Austin Lingo Betting Analysis:
Even though Lingo is a late substitute with a different style, he’s a generic brawler type.
While watching Landwehr having an out-of-body experience against Onama gives anyone doubt about his chin, his recovery is what mattered.
With Lingo being a one-note fighter, and not looking as efficient in his three UFC fights as he did in the regional circuit, Landwehr has a huge advantage in experience.
This fight could get dusty early on. Lingo’s window for victory closes shut if he can’t stop Landwehr in the first round. That said, the line continues to drop for Landwehr.
UFC Fight Night: Andrea Lee vs. Maycee Barber
Why Bet on Andrea Lee?
Lee is 2-3 in her last five and coming off a loss to Viviane Araujo in her previous fight.
Lee’s recent struggles have seen her get worked over in tough fights. Even the two she won haven’t come against stern opposition.
That said, Lee is resilient and can be a hard night at work if she can get off to a good start.
Why Bet on Maycee Barber?
After posting back-to-back losses to Roxanne Moddeferi and Alexa Grasso, Barber has won three straight.
Barber may have been matched up too hard too early, but she has learned from her losses.
After recovering from a knee injury suffered in the Moddeferi loss, Barber has shown a more formidable side to her game.
Her wins over Montana De La Rosa and Jessica Eye displayed her crisp striking and improved offense.
Andrea Lee vs. Maycee Barber Final Betting Analysis:
I think it’s safe to say that Barber is still a work in progress, but she is making progress.
Watching Lee nearly get flattened by Araujo in the opening salvo wasn’t very promising for her chances of pulling off an upset.
Seeing Lee get taken down as many times as she has over her recent fights could give Barber another avenue for victory, and her reach advantage won’t do much if she can’t get Barber’s respect.
Barber should be coming in with all the confidence in the world behind her, and her busy striking should get the job done against the kind of opponent she should be able to beat at this stage of her career.
UFC Fight Night: Alex Perez vs. Manel Kape
Why Bet on Alex Perez?
Perez (24-7) is a six-year UFC veteran and former title challenger who came up short against former champion Deiveson Figueiredo.
The 31-year-old hasn’t won since beating Jussier Formiga at UFC 250 in 2020. Since then, it has been nothing but losses and missed fights.
He suffered a first-round submission loss to Deiveson Figueiredo, which wasn’t unexpected with sport betting odds.
However, his submission loss to Alexandre Pantoja last year wasn’t good enough.
Why Bet on Manel Kape?
Kape (18-6) is a power puncher who offset a two-fight losing streak against top-rated competition with three consecutive victories.
Kape won his last three fights, which is excellent form. The Angolan scored a decision win over David Dvorak in 2022, which followed a knockout win over Zhalgas Zhumagulov.
That was a quality win for the 29-year-old, who always could beat high-level fighters in the UFC. He also knocked out Ode Osbourne in 2021, which came in the first round.
Alex Perez vs. Manel Kape Betting Analysis:
Unlike Perez, Kape is a KO/TKO machine, earning an impressive 65 percent of his victories like that.
Another stark contrast is that he rarely depends on judges’ decisions, with only a tiny 6 percent of his wins attained by that mean.
Kape feels like the more lethal fighter and has more recent experience, so we expect him to finish the fight early.
UFC Fight Night: Chidi Njokuani vs. Albert Duraev
Why Bet on Chidi Njokuani?
Chidi “Chidi Bang Bang” Njokuani, 34, joined the UFC late in his career after an extensive Bellator run.
Since winning a contract on Dana White’s Contender Series via third-round knockout, Njokuani continued his finish streak with back-to-back first-round knockouts in 2022.
His run came to a screeching halt in September of 2022 when “Chidi Bang Bang” was knocked out himself.
Why Bet on Albert Duraev?
Albert “Machete” Duraev, 34, is also a Dana White’s Contender Series alum where he secured a contract through a first-round submission back in 2021.
Since then, Duraev has only fought twice, splitting them between a decision win and a knockout loss.
Overall, Duraev has finished 12 of his 15 wins inside the distance and all 4 of his losses have come by knockout.
Chidi Njokuani vs. Albert Duraev Final Betting Analysis:
This is an old-school UFC matchup between a fighter that is strictly a striker against a fighter who is strictly a grappler.
Njokuani has the technique, speed, and power to hand Duraev his fifth knockout loss. Meanwhile, Duraev has the wrestling and submission skills to exploit the ground gap in his opponent’s game.
Njokuani was taken down twice two fights ago against an inferior wrestler, compared to Duraev, and controlled for three minutes while Chidi looked for hail-mary submissions.
When he got up, he did so while exposing his neck and back. Njokuani survived on the ground not because of his skills but because of the ineptitude of his opponent. If he gets in the same position against Duraev, the result should be different.
Duraev will have to sure up his defense and watch those up-the-middle knees and kicks when he looks for a takedown, but we like the wrestler to get the fight down and find the finish on the mat, likely by submission.
UFC Fight Night: Daniel Pineda vs. Tucker Lutz
Why Bet on Daniel Pineda?
More than six years after a loss to Robert Whiteford sent him packing from the world’s largest mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion, Daniel Pineda (27-14) returned to pound out Herbert Burns and claim his second post-fight bonus.
The momentum wasn’t to last, though, as “The Pit” suffered a knockout loss to Cub Swanson before an accidental eye poke cut short a one-sided beating from Andre Fili.
Why Bet on Tucker Lutz?
The second Contender Series bid for Tucker Lutz (12-2) also failed to produce a finish, but two wins in less than three months earned him a spot in the Octagon.
He started strong with a decision over Kevin Aguilar, only to fall to Pat Sabatini his next time out.
His eight professional finishes are split 6:2 between knockouts and submissions.
Daniel Pineda vs. Tucker Lutz Final Betting Analysis:
Almost 16 years and 45 fights into his professional career, Pineda remains one of the toughest men in the sport. He just never quite rounded out the rest of his game to match … especially his wrestling.
Pineda is still dangerous, of course, but the prognosis looks grim. He can’t rely on Lutz’s cardio imploding the way Burns’ did and doesn’t have the skills to either keep it on the feet or finish Lutz off of his back.
Even if Pineda emerged from those two maulings with all of his faculties intact, his toolbox just isn’t deep enough. In short, Lutz out-works and out-grinds him to a wide decision.
UFC Fight Night: Steven Peterson vs. Lucas Alexander
Why Bet on Steven Peterson?
Steven Peterson (19-10) finally put together his first multi-fight Octagon winning streak by knocking out Martin Bravo and subsequently beating down Chase Hooper in Glendale.
He wasn’t quite able to make it three straight, dropping a split decision to Julian Erosa to drop his UFC record down to 3-4.
Why Bet on Lucas Alexander?
Once 2-2 as a professional, Lucas Alexander (7-3) capped off a five-fight winning streak with an injury stoppage of Jacob Kilburn.
Eight months later, he stepped up on short notice to face Joanderson Brito, who put him away with a rear-naked choke two minutes into the first round.
Steven Peterson vs. Lucas Alexander Final Betting Analysis:
It’s hard to hold Alexander’s debut loss against him. Brito’s ridiculous pressure, punching power, and grappling skills made him a nightmare match-up at the best of times.
Peterson is nowhere near that level of a finisher or physical presence, meaning Alexander should have much more freedom to let his kickboxing flow.
That said, Peterson’s another high-pressure fighter, and what he lacks in one-shot power and offensive wrestling he makes up for with persistence.
While Alexander is the more dynamic striker of the two, we are not convinced he can play keep-away for 15 minutes, especially since he lacks the sort of takedown threat that Peterson usually struggles with.
Peterson’s aggression and Alexander’s difficulties staying off the cage combine to let “Ocho” out-work him to a narrow decision.
UFC Fight Night: Trevin Giles vs. Preston Parsons
Why Bet on Trevin Giles?
Trevin Giles’ (15-4) three-fight win streak gave way to two straight stoppage losses courtesy of Dricus Du Plessis and Michael Morales.
Next came Louis Cosce, whom Giles narrowly outworked to a unanimous decision in an execrable fight.
Why Bet on Preston Parsons?
Parsons’ short-notice UFC debut saw him knocked out in one by Daniel Rodriguez, ending a four-fight win streak.
He did quite a bit better against his late-notice foe, dominatING Evan Elder in April 2022 to earn a wide decision win.
All but one of his professional wins have come by submission.
Trevin Giles vs. Preston Parsons Final Betting Analysis:
Last time out, Giles conspired to look awful against a man in Cosce who attempted fewer than 50 strikes and just one takedown.
That’s not exactly inspiring stuff against a very capable grappler who showed off quality striking in his recent win.
We may be reading too much into Parsons’ victory over a late-notice Lightweight, but Giles’ poor fight IQ and apparent loss of the fluidity and sharpness that made him a hot prospect once upon a time have me thinking he’ll struggle.
In the end, consistent takedowns will carry Parsons to a comfortable win.
UFC Fight Night: CJ Vergara vs. Daniel da Silva
Why Bet on CJ Vergara?
C.J. Vergara (10-4-1) — who punched his ticket to the Octagon by knocking out The Ultimate Fighter (TUF): Brazil veteran, Bruno “Korea,” on Contender Series, rebounded from his UFC debut loss to Ode Osbourne by scraping past Kleydson Rodrigues at UFC 274.
He couldn’t manage the same against Tatsuro Taira, who caught him in a fight-ending armbar late in the second stanza.
Why Bet on Daniel da Silva?
A torrid run through the Brazilian circuit — marred only by a freak injury defeat in 2019 — carried Da Silva to the Octagon in 2021.
He’s yet to taste his first UFC victory, suffering three straight stoppage losses and missing weight bad ahead of a canceled bout with Vinicius Salvador.
He’s ended all 11 of his professional victories inside the distance, six of them via submission.
CJ Vergara vs. Daniel da Silva Final Betting Analysis:
If both men fought to the best of their abilities, it would be Da Silva’s fight to lose.
Effective as Vergara can be with his in-fighting, he’s got holes in his defense that the faster, more dynamic “Miojo” can feast on.
It’s not at all hard to picture Da Silva blowing away Vergara with a head kick or spinning technique in the opening minutes.
It is, however, much easier to picture Da Silva falling apart again.
He’s proven incredibly adept at finding ways to lose, and we just can’t trust him to fire on all cylinders against someone this persistent and dangerous down the stretch.
In the end, Vergara survives the first round storm to break down Vergara in the later rounds.
UFC Fight Night: Manuel Torres vs. Trey Ogden
Why Bet on Manuel Torres?
Manuel Torres (13-2) wasted no time on Contender Series, taking just 2:10 to knockout Kolton Englund and earn himself a contract.
“El Loco” was similarly efficient in his UFC debut, which saw him win “Performance of the Night” by stopping Frank Camacho.
His sole decision win in 2018 marked the only time he went past the first round as a professional.
Why Bet on Trey Ogden?
Trey Ogden (16-5) reached the world’s largest mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion via Lookin’ for a Fight, where he choked out J.J. Okanovich in a successful bid for the Fury FC Lightweight title.
Though he lost to Jordan Leavitt in his debut, he returned to the win column by beating lauded prospect, Daniel Zellhuber, five months later.
Manuel Torres vs. Trey Ogden Final Betting Analysis:
I was convinced that Zellhuber would smoke Ogden, and while you could chalk up a lot of “Samurai Ghost’s” success to “Golden Boy’s” lack of output, he looked a hell of a lot better than he did against Leavitt.
I like him to flip the script here — Torres’ kickboxing is less refined than Zellhuber’s and he has a pair of submission losses on his record that bode ill against a ground specialist.
Torres could still just beast mode his way to another quick stoppage or punish a bad shot with his guillotine, but Ogden’s durability and submission skills look like more than he can handle.
In short, Ogden weathers the early storm to take down Torres and find his neck in short order.
UFC Fight Night: Vinicius Salvador vs. Victor Altamirano
Why Bet on Vinicius Salvador?
Vinicius Salvador (14-4) — not far removed from a 1-3 skid — entered Contender Series as a decent-sized underdog against Shannon Ross.
Undaunted, he racked up three knockdowns to claim the win and a UFC contract.
That victory marked his 13th professional knockout and 14th finish overall.
Why Bet on Victor Altamirano?
Victor Altamirano (11-2) followed his narrow Contender Series victory over Carlos Candelario with an equally narrow defeat to Carlos Hernandez in his UFC debut.
An early knockdown appeared to spell doom in his sophomore effort against Daniel Da Silva, but “El Magnifico” came back to smash him with ground-and-pound and earn his first post-fight bonus.
Vinicius Salvador vs. Victor Altamirano Final Betting Analysis:
This fight boils down to whether Salvador can wrestle. He’s just got too much horsepower for Altamirano on the feet.
Indeed, “El Magnifico” doesn’t hit all that hard and is way too reliant on dipping his head out of danger, which is just asking for Salvador to knock his block off with one of his from-the-hip bombs.
If they exchange for any length of time, Altamirano’s high-volume Taekwondo is not going to hold up against Salvador’s haymakers.
The question, then, is if Salvador can keep it in his wheelhouse. His last two defeats came on the ground, and though he did shut down Ross’s single takedown attempt, Ross isn’t exactly a Division I collegiate wrestling standout.
Though Altamirano grinding him out is a distinct possibility, we like Salvador to punish Altamirano’s wonky defense before the latter can get out of first gear.
UFC Fight Night: Tamires Vidal vs. Hailey Cowan
Why Bet on Tamires Vidal?
Tamires Vidal (7-1) worked her way to the Octagon with five straight wins, including a DQ over future UFC competitor Ailin Perez.
Her debut pitted her against Ramona Pascual, whom Vidal put away with a bonus-winning flying knee in Nov. 2022.
Why Bet on Hailey Cowan?
Hailey Cowan’s (7-2) five-fight win streak came to an end at the hands of Kelly Clayton, who defied more than 3:1 odds to catch Cowan in a guillotine.
She’s since bounced back with wins over Monica Franco and Claudia Leite, the latter of which earned her a contract on Contender Series.
She has knocked out and submitted two professional foes apiece.
Tamires Vidal vs. Hailey Cowan Final Betting Analysis:
This one’s going to be ugly. Much like Cowan’s aborted clash with Perez, it’s a clash of clinch specialists that could easily spend the majority of its 15-minute runtime against the fence.
It’s unclear who’ll have the edge in those sorts of exchanges, as Cowan is the physically superior, but technically inferior grappler; therefore, there’s a good chance it comes down to whoever can impress the most in their brief windows of opportunity.
We were initially leaning towards Cowan, but we think “Tratora” will ultimately take the win, as she’s a slightly more natural and powerful striker and Cowan can’t do much off of her back.
In the end, Vidal out-works her to make it 2-0 in the Octagon.
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