Cory Sandhagen has hovered near the top of the bantamweight mountain for a while now—always in the mix, always dangerous, but just shy of that final breakthrough. Whether it was razor-close decisions or bad timing, the title shot has stayed just out of reach. But this time around, Sandhagen is approaching things with a different mindset.
Fresh off a tough loss and some valuable lessons from facing Umar Nurmagomedov, “The Sandman” is laser-focused on making his next opportunity count. His target? Former flyweight champ Deiveson Figueiredo. And according to Sandhagen, this isn’t just about winning—it’s about demolishing Figueiredo to leave no doubt that he’s next in line for gold.
In a high-stakes bantamweight showdown at UFC Abu Dhabi on August 3, 2024, Umar Nurmagomedov faced off against Cory Sandhagen. Nurmagomedov, renowned for his grappling prowess, managed to control significant portions of the fight, neutralizing Sandhagen’s dynamic striking abilities. Over the course of five rounds, Nurmagomedov’s relentless pressure and tactical ground game earned him a unanimous decision victory, with judges scoring the bout 50–45, 49–46, and 49–46 in his favor.
While Sandhagen showcased resilience and moments of offensive brilliance, he struggled to mount a consistent offense against Nurmagomedov’s smothering grappling. The fight was widely regarded as a clear win for Nurmagomedov, with no significant controversy or consensus suggesting that Sandhagen was unjustly denied a victory. This decisive performance not only preserved Nurmagomedov’s undefeated record but also positioned him as a formidable contender in the bantamweight division.
In a recent interview with Kevin Iole, Sandhagen was asked what fans can expect from him in his upcoming fight against Figueiredo. To this, he replied –
“I am going to really, really do my best to completely demolish Figueiredo by every means that I can and get a finish in this one and make it not even a close fight at all. So that afterwards I can say it with some confidence that I want a title shot next. I want to go out and have a performance that earns a title shot. That is where I am setting the bar for this one.”
Not only does Sandhagen have a clear game plan for his fight against Figueiredo, he also has an opponent in mind after securing a win against the Brazilian.
Cory Sandhagen vs Sean O’Malley anyone?
Sandhagen is itching to get back in the cage, and he’s got one name in mind— O’Malley. After a tough decision loss to Nurmagomedov last August, Sandhagen is ready to bounce back and thinks a fight with O’Malley is exactly what the fans—and the division—need right now.
Taking to Instagram, Sandhagen didn’t hold back. He called out O’Malley, saying there’s no reason “Suga” should get an immediate rematch with Merab Dvalishvili after getting handled in their first fight.
“No one wants to see that again,” he said. “I’m not booked. I want to fight. I’m bored out of my mind.”
Sandhagen and O’Malley both bring flashy, high-level striking to the table and the former is convinced that the matchup would be fireworks. He even said he’s willing to give O’Malley all the time he needs to recover from his recent hip surgery—just like Aljamain Sterling once did.
With Merab currently without a clear next opponent and O’Malley still a massive draw, Sandhagen thinks now’s the time. He’s fired up, ready to go, and just wants the UFC to make it happen.
