Marlon Moraes vs. Cory Sandhagen targeted as main event for October UFC event

An exciting bantamweight bout between Marlon Moraes and Cory Sandhagen is being targeted as the main event for a UFC Fight Night card in October.

Combate first reported that the UFC is targeting the Moraes vs. Sandhagen matchup to headline a UFC Fight Night event on October 10. There is no venue yet for this card, but it could land on either Fight Island in Abu Dhabi or at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Combate reports that contracts aren’t signed yet but this is the fight the UFC wants to book.

The only other fight that is currently targeted for this event is a middleweight pairing between Markus Perez and Rodolfo Vieira. Expect more fights to be added to it shortly.

Moraes (23-6-1) is the No. 1 ranked bantamweight in the UFC. The 32-year-old Brazilian is 5-2 overall in the UFC with wins over Jose Aldo, Raphael Assuncao, Aljamain Sterling, John Dodson, and Jimmie Rivera, with losses to Assuncao and Henry Cejudo. Moraes was set to fight Petr Yan at UFC Kazakhstan but the fight was scrapped and Yan instead fought Aldo for the vacant belt at UFC 251, winning it. Moraes later tested positive for COVID-19 though he is healthy now and is ready to step foot into the Octagon once again.

Sandhagen (12-2) is the No. 4 ranked bantamweight in the UFC. The 28-year-old American is 5-1 overall in the UFC with wins over Assuncao, John Lineker, Mario Bautista, Iuri Alcantara, and Austin Arnett, with his lone loss coming against Sterling. Had Sandhagen beaten Sterling in his last fight, he could have been next in line to fight for the belt. Although he lost that fight, a win over Moraes would put him back into the same spot.

Look for the winner of this Moraes vs. Sandhagen matchup to potentially be next in line for a title shot once Sterling gets his crack at Yan, though Cody Garbrandt is a wild card.

Who do you think wins, Marlon Moraes or Cory Sandhagen?