In the Clinch – UFC on ESPN 43: Marlon Vera and Cory Sandhagen lock horns – If there ever was a theme song for a UFC fighter, it would probably be Janet Jackson’s “What have you done for me lately?”

Marlon Vera Select BlueTake Marlon Vera (20-7-1), 30, currently ranked No. 3 in the bantamweight division. Despite taking out phenom Sean O’Malley, and former champions Frankie Edgar and Dominick Cruz, he currently trails behind O’Malley (No.2) and Merab Dvalishvili (No.1) in the rankings.

That’s largely because Vera hasn’t fought since last August and O’Malley and Dvalishvili have done similar things more recently.

And so Vera gets his chance to defend his ranking against No. 5 Cory Sandhagen (15-4-0), 30, who previously fought for the interim title.

The fight is an opportunity for Sandhagen to leapfrog into the top three with a big win. At 5-11, he will have the height and reach advantage against Vera, but has struggled against elite competition.

Vera will want to push the pace with his strikes and make Sandhagen defend on the ground while staying out of Sandhagen’s striking range.

Grappling is generally key in the bantamweight division, but Vera and Sandhagen have put away guys on the feet and ground, including Frankie Edgar.

So I expect this matchup to be a technical battle.Cory Sandhagen Select Tie Dye

In media interviews, Sandhagen has been on record as liking his chances pretty much wherever the fight goes. But he needs to remember that Vera has dealt with the elite grappling of Dominick Cruz and more than just power, Vera has enough technical chops to keep “The Sandman” honest.

Both fighters need to win to stay in the conversation and that is another reality of the UFC.

So I expect both fighters to be prepared and ready to go. For fans that like the chess game type of bout, this one is for you.

Let’s see what happens.

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Marlon Vera

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