Trent Reinsmith
- Date & Location: Saturday, September 17 @ UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada
- Time: Prelims (4 p.m. ET), Main Card (7 p.m. ET)
- How to Watch: ESPN+
The UFC is back at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas for this week’s UFC Vegas 60 fight card. The ESPN+ streaming event is headlined by a matchup between top-10 ranked UFC bantamweights. Those fighters are the No. 4 ranked Cory Sandhagen and the No. 10 ranked Song Yadong. Here is some background on the event’s headliners before we discuss, in detail, the UFC Vegas 60 betting breakdown.
Sandhagen opened his MMA career with a record of 14-2. Today, he is 14-4 and riding a two-fight losing skid. Former UFC bantamweight champion T.J. Dillashaw defeated him via split decision in July 2021. Petr Yan then topped Sandhagen by decision in October in a contest to determine the interim UFC bantamweight champion.
Yadong is riding a three-fight winning streak and coming off the biggest win of his MMA career. In March, Yadong scored a first-round knockout win over former UFC 135-pound title challenger Marlon Moraes.
Before we look at the bout between Cory Sandhagen and Song Yadong on the UFC Vegas 60 card, which streams on ESPN+, check out the best UFC betting sites and where you can find the best odds on all the UFC fights.
UFC Vegas 60 Picks: Cory Sandhagen vs. Song Yadong
| To Win UFC Vegas 60 Main Event |  |  |  |  |
| Yadong Song | +175 | +170 | +165 | +170 |
| Cory Sandhagen | -205 | -210 | -210 | -210 |
Cory Sandhagen vs. Song Yadong breakdown and analysis
Cory Sandhagen has been one of the more entertaining strikers to watch in the UFC bantamweight division. The 30-year-old has a solid kickboxing base to work from, but he is also unafraid to throw caution to the wind and take risks with flashy maneuvers, even when those techniques can get him in deep trouble against aware opponents.
Sandhagen is at his best when he mixes heavy body strikes with his jabs and leg kicks. When he finds the perfect mix of aggression, technique, and recklessness, he is an elite competitor.
Yadong was the No. 14 ranked fighter in the official UFC bantamweight rankings when he defeated Moraes. The loss was the fourth in a row for Moraes, who retired not long after Yadong knocked him out. This fight will go a long way toward determining if the 24-year-old Yadong is ready for elite competition. Yadong has fast and heavy hands, but he sometimes throws wide, and almost all of his punches are thrown with knockout intentions.
UFC Vegas 60 Pick: Cory Sandhagen to defeat Yadong Song.
Best UFC Vegas 60 Bets
I think Yadong Song is going to develop into a top-notch bantamweight. I don’t think this will be the fight where that happens.
Yadong has not fought top UFC talent at its prime, and that’s what he’s getting in Sandhagen. He’s also never gone five rounds in the UFC. This fight will be a learning experience for Yadong.
I see Sandhagen ending this fight early, either via submission or knockout in the championship rounds. I think Sandhagen’s output (6.42 strikes landed per minute) combined with Song’s penchant for throwing everything with maximum effort will sap his strength and set up a knockdown when his hands drop. From there, Sandhagen will finish things.
My prediction is a Sandhagen win by late knockout.
Prediction; Cory Sandhagen to beat Yadong Song via knockout
What’s at stake
For Sandhagen, this is a must-win if he wants to stay among the elite of the 135-pound division. He lost little ground after his setbacks to Dillashaw and Yan. but a defeat at the hands of a much lowered ranked fighter without the credentials of a Dillashaw or a Yan would be an enormous blow.
As for Song, this fight will determine his trajectory in the bantamweight division. A good performance, even with a loss, should keep him moving up in the level of competition. If Song struggles, it’s not the end of the world. At 24, he has plenty of time to regroup and reload.
UFC Vegas 60 Bet: Cory Sandhagen to defeat Yadong Song.
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