Cory Sandhagen continued his impressive run of form in the UFC bantamweight division with a dominant five-round split decision win over Marlon Vera on Saturday. Despite the judge's split decision, there was no doubt that Sandhagen emerged as the clear winner. The stats tell the story, with Sandhagen out-landing Vera in total strikes 193 to 71 and converting three takedowns. He executed his game plan to perfection, taking Vera down early and using feints, footwork, and takedowns to evade Vera's attempts to come back at him in later rounds. Sandhagen is quickly becoming a standout in a crowded bantamweight division and has now positioned himself as a legitimate contender for the title. Speaking after the fight, Sandhagen called for a No. 1 contender fight against Merab Dvalishvili, who is on a nine-fight win streak. "I would feel so slimy if I asked for a title shot before Merab," said Sandhagen. "Merab is an absolute animal. I respect him a ton. I want that No. 1 spot. Merab, you're hungry, I got something for you to eat and it don't taste good." It remains to be seen whether Sandhagen will fight Dvalishvili next, but he has certainly made a strong case for himself as one of the most exciting fighters in the UFC.