5 biggest fights on the horizon in the UFC bantamweight division × Follow Us Create Notifications New User posted their first comment this is comment text Link Approve Reject & ban Delete Log in Manage your profile Editing Story Queue Video Queue Editing Stats Writer Home SEO Redirection Admin Gaming Wiki Edits Taxonomy Home Edit Site Menu Mapping Dashboard Tag Pages Community Social Feed Queue Feed Center Notification Center Affiliate Home Manage Pages Bottom Tagline Dash Timeless Stories Logout MMA UFC Feature 5 biggest fights coming up in the UFC bantamweight division By Ivan Derrick Modified 11 Aug 2022 Follow Us Comment Share Marlon 'Chito' Vera faces Dominick Cruz in the main event this weekend The UFC bantamweight division will take center stage this weekend when Marlon 'Chito' Vera faces Dominick Cruz in the main event. This fight is just one of several enticing match-ups coming up in the 135 pound division, which has arguably become the deepest and most exciting in the sport. UFC@ufcThe Chito Show takes #UFCSanDiego media day 6744415The Chito Show takes #UFCSanDiego media day https://t.co/kYVfJaSesX In the coming months, two UFC Fight Night events will be headlined by bantamweight bouts ,as well as a title fight and other top ten fighters in action. With so many important match-ups on the horizon, here are the five biggest fights coming up in the UFC bantamweight division: #5 Cory Sandhagen vs Song Yadong Cory Sandhagen (pictured, right) and Song Yadong have a combined record of 43-9-1 (1 NC) On September 17, Cory Sandhagen and Song Yadong will headline a Fight Night in a top ten clash in the UFC bantamweight division. It will be a particularly important fight for Sandhagen, who is on a two-fight skid for the first time in his career and must now defend his top five status. Sandhagen is currently the No.4-ranked bantamweight in the UFC and while he's lost two straight, those results have come against elite fighters in T.J. Dillashaw and Petr Yan. Both fights were very close — particularly the one against Dillashaw. Regardless, he must now prove he too is elite against a young up-and-comer riding a wave of momentum. ESPN MMA@espnmmaTop contender Cory Sandhagen and rising prospect Song Yadong set to headline a UFC Fight Night card on Sept. 17, sources confirmed with @marcraimondi.Bout agreements have already been sent out to both sides. First reported by Eurosport.2001127Top contender Cory Sandhagen and rising prospect Song Yadong set to headline a UFC Fight Night card on Sept. 17, sources confirmed with @marcraimondi.Bout agreements have already been sent out to both sides. First reported by Eurosport. https://t.co/6kF8CPBALh Yadong is 24-years-old, ranked No.10 in the division, and retired Marlon Moraes with a first-round KO in his most recent octagon appearance. He is now on a three-fight win streak and has earned an opportunity against a big name in the division. It will be truly fascinating to see which of these two fighters comes out on top. #4 Petr Yan vs Sean O Malley Petr Yan and Sean O'Malley (pictured) have a combined record of 31-4 (1 NC) In terms of the anticipation surrounding this fight, you could argue it could be ranked at the number one spot. It is a incredibly interesting match-up featuring the former bantamweight champion, Petr Yan, in his return to action against one of the most popular fighters on the roster: Sean O'Malley. The pair will fight October 22 at UFC 280. O'Malley has produced some highlight reel finishes during his time in the UFC and has described his only loss as a "freak accident." With that being said, he has never beaten anyone near the level of the No.1-ranked bantamweight in the UFC, with zero career wins over top ten opponents. If he is able to pull out a victory against Yan, he could very well find himself in line for a title shot. MMA Junkie@MMAJunkieSean O’Malley thinks his striking will be too elite for Petr Yan. #UFC280 Read more: bit.ly/3Pc0wHY68033Sean O’Malley thinks his striking will be too elite for Petr Yan. #UFC280 Read more: bit.ly/3Pc0wHY https://t.co/r09moSM4EW Yan will also be in a good position to get back in the title picture with a win given how good he looked in both losses against current champion Aljamain Sterling. This fight is a must-see and only falls short of ranking higher because O'Malley is the only fighter outside the top ten to feature on this list. #3 Marlon Chito Vera vs Dominick Cruz Marlon Vera and Dominick Cruz (pictured) have a combined record of 43-10-1 The main event this Saturday will see a huge clash between the No.5 and No.8-ranked fighters in the UFC bantamweight division. While whoever wins this match-up will likely need one more win to earn a title shot, the fight is hugely important to both men and should produce a great fight. UFC on BT Sport@btsportufcNext stop... Vera Cruz#UFCSanDiego BT Sport 1 HD 10PM34424Next stop... Vera Cruz#UFCSanDiego BT Sport 1 HD 10PM https://t.co/CPlRwfVtN8 Dominick Cruz and his unique style always produce intriguing encounters inside the octagon. Given he is in the midst of what may be his last run at the title, a loss would likely put an end to his title aspirations. Marlon Vera is another entertaining striker, which is why you can be confident this bout will be a must-watch occasion. Vera is on a three-fight winning streak that has earned him a spot in the top five. With that being said, he has struggled in the past when he's on the verge of entering the title picture, as fans saw when he lost to Jose Aldo. #2 Jose Aldo vs Merab Dvalishvili Jose Aldo (pictured) and Merab Dvalishvili have a combined record of 45-11 Jose Aldo is a future Hall-of-Famer, and he may be a single win away from the 13th UFC title fight of his decorated career. While he is better known for his lengthy reign as featherweight champion, he has looked great at bantamweight recently and is now a three-fight win streak. His opponent on August 20 will be Merab Dvalishvili, a talented grappler who has arguably become the boogeyman of the 135 lb division. The Georgian is currently on an incredible seven-fight winning streak, and his style makes him an awkward match-up for many of the top fighters at bantamweight. Sportskeeda MMA@sportskeedaMMA.@lionheartasmith believes durability and conditioning are keys in Jose Aldo vs. Merab Dvalishvili sportskeeda.com/mma/anthony-sm…#UFC #MMA @ufc.@lionheartasmith believes durability and conditioning are keys in Jose Aldo vs. Merab Dvalishvili sportskeeda.com/mma/anthony-sm…#UFC #MMA @ufc https://t.co/kFBtnuxsvf This fight will be a classic striker vs. grappler match-up with high stakes and no clear favorite. Should Aldo win, he will likely become the No.1-contender, whilst a Dvalishvili win would see him announce himself as a top five fighter at 135 pounds. #1 Aljamain Sterling vs T J Dillashaw - UFC bantamweight championship Aljamain Sterling (pictured) and Dillashaw have a combined record of 38-7 Naturally, the upcoming UFC bantamweight title fight takes top billing on this list. Aljamain Sterling silenced many of his doubters by defeating Petr Yan last time out and will now face a fresh challenge in former two-time champion, T.J. Dillashaw. ESPN MMA@espnmmaA bantamweight title fight between Aljamain Sterling and TJ Dillashaw is being targeted for UFC 279 on Sept. 10, sources confirmed with @marcraimondi.First reported by MMA Junkie, and location is to be determined.11302944A bantamweight title fight between Aljamain Sterling and TJ Dillashaw is being targeted for UFC 279 on Sept. 10, sources confirmed with @marcraimondi.First reported by MMA Junkie, and location is to be determined. https://t.co/HBNACRzwD3 The bout will go down on October 22 at UFC 280, the same event where Petr Yan and Sean O'Malley will be competing. The match-up is an interesting one stylistically and could play out somewhat similarly to Sterling's fight with Yan. Dillashaw will likely have the advantage on the feet, so Sterling will probably look to take him down. Whoever is able to play to their strengths is likely to come out on top, but it's tough to predict who that will be. With the gold on the line, it will be fascinating too see who is crowned king of the bantamweights in October. Poll : 0 votes Quick Links More from Sportskeeda Edited by kennedyking2016 × Feedback Thank You! Be the first one to comment Follow Us Share Show More Comments GIF Comment in moderation 0 0 Reply x Edit Delete Delete the comment? No thanks Delete GIF Cancel Update GIF Cancel Reply ❮ ❯ GIF Comment in moderation 0 0 Reply x Edit Delete Delete the comment? 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