UFC Fight Night: Vera vs. Sandhagen Full Fight Card, Date & Details
UFC Fight Night: Vera vs. Sandhagen
United States
Main Card • Final
R5, 5:00
Ecuador
R3, 5:00
Russia
R2, 4:11
Performance of the Night
R3, 5:00
R3, 5:00
R2, 2:50
Performance of the Night
Prelims • Final
Brazil
R3, 5:00
R3, 5:00
R2, 4:04
Fight of the Night
Mexico
R3, 5:00
Official Event Results
Official Post-Fight Bonus Awards
$50,000 Post-Fight Bonus Recipients
Fight of the Night: Hometown hero CJ Vergara and Daniel Lacerda each received $50,000 for their breathless flyweight war, featuring Vergara rallying back from two first-round knockdowns to win by TKO in Round 2.
Performance of the Night: Nate Landwehr ($50,000) for his slick second-round rear-naked choke submission over Austin Lingo.
Performance of the Night: Texas veteran Daniel Pineda ($50,000) for securing a second-round guillotine choke submission victory against Tucker Lutz.
Reported Payouts & Disclosed Purses
Fighter Purses & Total Payout Estimates
| Fighter | Result | Base Purse | Win / Finish Bonus | Performance Bonus | Estimated Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WIN | $160,000 | $160,000 | — | $331,000 | |
| LOSS | $175,000 | — | — | $196,000 | |
| WIN | $200,000 | $100,000 | — | $316,000 | |
| LOSS | $65,000 | — | — | $71,000 | |
| WIN | $45,000 | $45,000 | $50,000 | $146,000 | |
| LOSS | $24,000 | — | — | $28,500 | |
| WIN | $48,000 | $48,000 | — | $102,000 | |
| LOSS | $65,000 | — | — | $71,000 | |
| WIN | $24,000 | $24,000 | — | $52,500 | |
| LOSS | $32,000 | — | — | $36,500 | |
| WIN | $36,000 | $36,000 | $50,000 | $128,000 | |
| LOSS | $16,000 | — | — | $20,500 | |
| WIN | $12,000 | $12,000 | — | $28,000 | |
| LOSS | $45,000 | — | — | $51,000 | |
| WIN | $42,000 | $42,000 | — | $90,000 | |
| LOSS | $18,000 | — | — | $22,500 | |
| WIN | $20,000 | $20,000 | $50,000 | $94,500 | |
| LOSS | $16,000 | — | $50,000 | $70,500 | |
| WIN | $20,000 | $20,000 | — | $44,500 | |
| LOSS | $12,000 | — | — | $16,000 |
*Purses reflect reported contract standards, promotional compliance pay, and verified post-fight bonus awards. Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation does not publicly disclose official purses; totals represent published industry estimates and verified $50,000 performance and Fight of the Night checks.
Historic UFC Records Set
Promotional Records Established at UFC Fight Night: Vera vs. Sandhagen
The main event produced one of the most divergent scorecards in UFC bantamweight history, as judge Sal D’Amato scored a clean 50-45 sweep for Sandhagen while judge Joel Ojeda inexplicably scored it 48-47 for Vera.
UFC Fight Night: Vera vs. Sandhagen set a combat sports live gate benchmark for San Antonio, drawing 16,076 fans to generate an official $2.15 million at the AT&T Center.
San Antonio’s CJ Vergara survived two brutal first-round knockdowns and a near 10-8 opening frame to rally and knock out Daniel Lacerda in Round 2, winning Fight of the Night.
Texas veteran Daniel Pineda preserved his spotless 100% professional finishing record, securing his 19th career submission victory with a second-round guillotine choke over Tucker Lutz.
Former bantamweight champion Holly Holm showcased a dominant wrestling attack against Yana Santos, landing 4 takedowns and banking 9 minutes and 49 seconds of control time.
“Nate the Train” Landwehr captured his third consecutive post-fight bonus award inside the Octagon by locking in a second-round rear-naked choke against Austin Lingo.
During the live ESPN broadcast, former lightweight title challenger and action icon “Cowboy” Donald Cerrone was officially announced as the newest inductee into the UFC Hall of Fame Modern Wing.
Cory Sandhagen outlanded Marlon Vera 128 to 58 in significant strikes and 187 to 73 in total strikes across 25 minutes, firmly reasserting himself as the number one bantamweight contender.
Longtime Texas fan-favorite Steven Peterson officially laid his gloves down inside the Octagon, retiring from active competition following his 15-minute clash with Lucas Alexander.
Maycee Barber extended her promotional winning streak to four consecutive fights in the 125-pound division with a hard-fought split decision triumph over Andrea Lee.
Lucas Alexander earned his first official UFC victory by executing a masterclass on the feet, outlanding Steven Peterson by a staggering 85-26 margin in significant strikes.
Flyweight contender Victor Altamirano set an active Texas event record by surviving and defending 21 of 22 attempted takedowns in his high-paced decision victory over Vinicius Salvador.
When and where did UFC Fight Night: Vera vs. Sandhagen take place?
UFC Fight Night: Vera vs. Sandhagen took place on Saturday, March 25, 2023, at the AT&T Center (now Frost Bank Center) in San Antonio, Texas.
Who won the main event between Marlon Vera and Cory Sandhagen?
Cory Sandhagen defeated Marlon Vera via split decision (47–48, 50–45, 49–46) after putting on a striking and wrestling masterclass across five rounds.
Why was the main event decision considered controversial?
Despite Cory Sandhagen outstriking Marlon Vera 187 to 73 and controlling him for over 7 minutes, judge Joel Ojeda scored the fight 48-47 in favor of Vera, whereas judge Sal D’Amato awarded Sandhagen every round (50-45).
Who won the co-main event between Holly Holm and Yana Santos?
Former champion Holly Holm defeated Yana Santos via unanimous decision (30–26, 30–27, 30–27), relying on heavy clinch work and nearly 10 minutes of control time.
Who won the post-fight bonuses at UFC Fight Night: Vera vs. Sandhagen?
Four fighters received $50,000 bonus checks: CJ Vergara vs. Daniel Lacerda won Fight of the Night, while Nate Landwehr and Daniel Pineda took home Performance of the Night honors.
What was the attendance and live gate for the event?
The event drew a sellout crowd of 16,076 spectators at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, producing an official live gate of $2,150,000.
How did Nate Landwehr defeat Austin Lingo?
Nate Landwehr broke Austin Lingo with relentless striking pace before taking his back and submitting him via rear-naked choke at 4:11 of Round 2.
How did Daniel Pineda win his fight against Tucker Lutz?
As a notable betting underdog, Daniel Pineda dropped Tucker Lutz with a knee and locked in a fight-ending guillotine choke at 2:50 of Round 2.
Who won the flyweight bout between Maycee Barber and Andrea Lee?
Maycee Barber defeated Andrea Lee via split decision (28–29, 29–28, 30–27) in a competitive three-round battle.
How did CJ Vergara pull off his dramatic comeback against Daniel Lacerda?
After being dropped twice in a dominant 10-8 opening round for Lacerda, San Antonio native CJ Vergara rallied back to overwhelm Lacerda with elbows and punches, earning a TKO victory at 4:04 of Round 2.
Did Steven Peterson retire after his fight?
Yes. Following a unanimous decision defeat to Lucas Alexander, veteran featherweight Steven Peterson left his gloves in the center of the Octagon and announced his retirement from MMA.
Who was announced for the UFC Hall of Fame during this broadcast?
Former lightweight and welterweight fan-favorite Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone was officially announced as an inductee into the 2023 UFC Hall of Fame Modern Wing.
Who won the middleweight bout between Albert Duraev and Chidi Njokuani?
Albert Duraev edged out Chidi Njokuani via split decision (28–29, 29–28, 29–28), using leg kicks and takedowns to counter Njokuani’s Muay Thai strikes.
Who called the fights for UFC Fight Night: Vera vs. Sandhagen?
The event was called by lead play-by-play announcer Brendan Fitzgerald alongside color commentators Michael Bisping and Paul Felder, with Joe Martinez serving as the Octagon announcer.
How was the event broadcast in the United States?
Both the preliminary card (4:00 PM EDT) and main card (7:00 PM EDT) were simulcast live on linear television on ESPN and streamed on ESPN+.
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