Yana Santos – Page 3 – Syndication Server

UFC on ESPN 43 predictions: Vera or Sandhagen, Holm or Santos in San Antonio?

Check out our staff members’ picks for the UFC on ESPN 43 main card in San Antonio, featuring Marlon Vera vs. Cory Sandhagen.

	Vera vs. Sandhagen	Holm vs. Santos	Landwehr vs. Lingo	Barber vs. Lee	Kape vs. Perez	Duraev vs. Njokuani
MMA Junkie readers’ consensus picks 32-22	Vera (62%)	Holm (80%)	Landwehr (74%)	Barber (72%)	Kape (63%)	Njokuani (79%)
George Garcia @MMAjunkieGeorge 34-20	Vera	Holm	Landwehr	Barber	Kape	Njokuani
Nolan King @mma_kings 33-21/em>	Sandhagen	Holm	Landwehr	Barber	Kape	Njokuani
Simon Samano @SJSamano 32-22	Vera	Holm	Landwehr	Barber	Perez	Njokuani
Matt Erickson @MattE 32-22	Sandhagen	Holm	Landwehr	Barber	Kape	Duraev
Matthew Wells @MrMWells 31-23	Vera	Holm	Lingo	Barber	Kape	Njokuani
Abbey Subhan @kammakaze 30-24	Sandhagen	Holm	Landwehr	Barber	Perez	Njokuani
Farah Hannoun @Farah_Hannoun 30-24	Sandhagen	Holm	Landwehr	Barber	Kape	Njokuani
Mike Bohn @MikeBohn 29-25 2014 Champion	Vera	Holm	Landwehr	Barber	Kape	Njokuani
Danny Segura @dannyseguratv 29-25	Vera	Holm	Landwehr	Barber	Kape	Njokuani
Ken Hathaway @kenshathaway 29-25 2018, 2022 Champion	Sandhagen	Holm	Landwehr	Barber	Kape	Njokuani
Brian Garcia @thegoze 28-26 2017 Champion	Vera	Holm	Landwehr	Barber	Kape	Njokuani

The UFC has touched down in the “Lone Star State” this week with four bantamweights at the top of the bill.

UFC on ESPN 43 takes place Saturday at AT&T Center in San Antonio. The main card airs on ESPN following prelims on ESPN+.

(Click here to open a PDF of the staff picks grid in a separate window.)

In the main event, [autotag]Marlon Vera[/autotag] (20-7-1 MMA, 14-6 UFC) takes on [autotag]Cory Sandhagen[/autotag] (15-4 MMA, 8-3 UFC) in a fight between perennial bantamweight contenders. Sandhagen is a -170 favorite at Tipico Sportsbook; the comeback on Vera is +145. But our 11 editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers have slight underdog Vera ahead at 6-5 in the picks.

In the co-feature, former women’s bantamweight champion [autotag]Holly Holm[/autotag] (14-6 MMA, 7-6 UFC) takes on [autotag]Yana Santos[/autotag] (14-6 MMA, 4-3 UFC). Holm just signed a new six-fight deal with the UFC and is a -250 favorite at the betting window. She’s also the only unanimous pick from our staff members.

Also on the main card, [autotag]Nate Landwehr[/autotag] (16-4 MMA, 3-2 UFC) meets short-notice replacement [autotag]Austin Lingo[/autotag] (9-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC) at featherweight. Landwehr is more than a 2-1 favorite and is a near-unanimous pick at 10-1.

Our second unanimous pick is the biggest favorite on the main card. [autotag]Maycee Barber[/autotag] (11-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) is a -270 favorite at the sportsbook and has a shutout in our picks against [autotag]Andrea Lee[/autotag] (13-6 MMA, 5-4 UFC) in their women’s flyweight bout.

[autotag]Manel Kape[/autotag] (18-6 MMA, 3-2 UFC) is a nearly 2-1 favorite in his flyweight bout against [autotag]Alex Perez[/autotag] (24-7 MMA, 6-3 UFC). He doesn’t have a shutout, but he has a big 9-2 lead in the picks.

And to open the main card, [autotag]Chidi Njokuani[/autotag] (22-8 MMA, 2-1 UFC) is a near-unanimous pick in his middleweight fight against [autotag]Albert Duraev[/autotag] (15-4 MMA, 1-1 UFC). Njokuani is the smallest favorite on the main card at -155, but he’s got a near-shutout in our picks at 10-1.

In the MMA Junkie consensus picks, Vera (62 percent), Holm (80 percent), Landwehr (74 percent), Barber (72 percent), Kape (63 percent) and Njokuani (79 percent) are the choices.

Check out all the picks above.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 43.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=21072 tag=420038812]

UFC on ESPN 43 video: Holly Holm, Yana Santos make weight for co-main event

The UFC on ESPN 43 co-feature is set after former women’s bantamweight champ Holly Holm and Yana Santos made weight Friday in San Antonio.

SAN ANTONIO – The UFC on ESPN 43 co-feature is set after both fighters made weight Friday.

Ahead of Saturday’s event in San Antonio, which takes place at AT&T Center with a main card on ESPN following prelims on ESPN+, [autotag]Holly Holm[/autotag] and [autotag]Yana Santos[/autotag] stepped on the scale at the official weigh-ins.

Former women’s bantamweight champion Holm (14-6 MMA, 7-6 UFC) just signed a new six-fight deal with the UFC and intends to make another title run at 135 pounds. It will have to start with Santos (14-6 MMA, 4-3 UFC) in the UFC on ESPN 43 co-main event. Holm weighed in a few minutes into the two-hour window and was 135.5 pounds. Santos was not far behind her and was 135.

Check out the video from their trips to the scale above.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 43.

UFC on ESPN 43 pre-event facts: Marlon Vera is the best finisher at 135 pounds

The numbers show no bantamweight in UFC history has finished more fights than Marlon Vera going into the UFC on ESPN 43 main event.

The UFC’s road trip outside of Las Vegas continues Saturday with UFC on ESPN 43, which takes place at the AT&T Center in San Antonio with a main card that airs on ESPN following prelims on ESPN+.

A marquee bantamweight fight is featured in the main event. After their original date was postponed from February, contenders [autotag]Marlon Vera[/autotag] (20-7-1 MMA, 14-6 UFC) and [autotag]Cory Sandhagen[/autotag] (15-4 MMA, 8-3 UFC) will finally share the octagon in a matchup that will push the winner near the forefront of the title conversation at 135 pounds.

For more on the numbers behind the headliner, as well as the rest of the card, check below for MMA Junkie’s pre-event facts about UFC on ESPN 43.

Yana Santos reveals training history with Holly Holm ahead of UFC on ESPN 43 co-headliner

UFC on ESPN 43 won’t be the first time Yana Santos has stepped in a cage opposite Holly Holm. It’s just the first time we’ll see it.

SAN ANTONIO – Saturday won’t be the first time [autotag]Yana Santos[/autotag] has stepped in a cage opposite legendary women’s fighter [autotag]Holly Holm[/autotag]. It will just be the first time the world gets to see it.

Santos (14-6 MMA, 4-3 UFC), who meets former bantamweight champion Holm (14-6 MMA, 7-6 UFC) in the UFC on ESPN 43 co-headliner at AT&T Center, has trained quite extensively with her upcoming foe in the past at Jackson-Wink MMA in Albuquerque, N.M.

“I respect her so much,” Santos told MMA Junkie and other reporters at Wednesday’s media day. “We trained a lot together, and she was probably the first big star who I met when I came to America. I’m so grateful for this opportunity.”

Although the memories of leaving her native Russia and training alongside Holm are still fresh in her mind, many years have gone by in reality. Santos did not reveal who got the better of each other during sparring, but she teased that it was action-packed.

Santos, 33, isn’t holding on to any particular successes or failures during those moments. She knows both she and Holm, 41, aren’t comparable to the past versions of themselves who shared a gym.

“Six years ago we trained a lot, sparred a lot, and we don’t have anything between us,” Santos said. “I only have respect for her before and after fight. I don’t take this personal. I’m still going to bring my best in the octagon. I think it’s nice to see what we both changed in these six years, so I don’t think it’s going to affect anything.

“A lot of time when she sparred around the gym, a lot of people say, ‘We should have to pay to see you girls because of how crazy (it is).’ I think it’s a great style matchup. We both like to strike and go forward, aggressive. I think it will be so exciting.”

UFC on ESPN 43, which airs on ESPN following prelims on ESPN+, will mark Santos’ return to competition after a 20-month layoff. She took a hiatus to give birth to her baby with her husband, former UFC title challenger and current PFL light heavyweight Thiago Santos.

Given it’s the second time Santos has put her career on pause to have a child, she is familiar with the process of coming back and what it takes to be ready. She said she’s there now and knows what a win over a decorated opponent like Holm could do for her career.

“I think yes (I could get a title shot with a win),” Santos said. “But I always try to not look over the fight and focus only on fight this Saturday.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 43.

[lawrence-related id=556564,394058,527869,741568]

[pickup_prop id=”32576″]

Video: UFC on ESPN 43 media day live stream, interviews

Watch Wednesday’s UFC on ESPN 43 media day live from San Antonio.

SAN ANTONIO – The UFC is making its return to the great state of Texas, and they’re doing it with a pivotal bantamweight matchup leading the event.

Marlon Vera (20-7-1 MMA, 14-6 UFC) vs. Cory Sandhagen (15-4 MMA, 8-3 UFC) headlines UFC on ESPN 43. On the co-main event of the card, former UFC women’s bantamweight champion [autotag]Holly Holm[/autotag] (14-6 MMA, 7-6 UFC) takes on [autotag]Yana Santos[/autotag] (14-6 MMA, 4-3 UFC).

UFC on ESPN 43 takes place Saturday night at AT&T Center. The main card airs on ESPN following prelims on ESPN+. Below is the expected schedule for Wednesday’s media day (ET times):

11:30 a.m. Cory Sandhagen
12 p.m. [autotag]Austin Lingo[/autotag]
12:15 p.m. [autotag]Albert Duraev[/autotag]
12:30 p.m. [autotag]Maycee Barber[/autotag]
1 p.m. Yana Santos
1:15 p.m. [autotag]CJ Vergara[/autotag]
1:45 p.m. Marlon Vera
1 p.m. [autotag]Manel Kape[/autotag]
2:15 p.m. Holly Holm
2:30 p.m. [autotag]Chidi Njokuani[/autotag]
2:45 p.m. [autotag]Nate Landwehr[/autotag]
3:15 p.m. [autotag]Andrea Lee[/autotag]
3:30 p.m. [autotag]Alex Perez[/autotag]

If you happen to miss any of the individual sessions on the live stream, check below for the archived videos of each media day.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 43.