Bantamweight bangers John Lineker and Cory Sandhagen went at it tonight (Saturday, April 27, 2019) from inside the BB&T Center in Sunrise, Florida, live only via the ESPN+ streaming service. This was Sandhagen’s second time being scheduled to fight Lineker. Would he end up regretting it?
Sandhagen came out with his signature feinting, getting Lineker to back up. Linaker loaded up on a right-left that didn’t land, then countered Sandhagen successfully. Sandhagen stayed on him, landing a leg kick, then a dragging overhand right. He missed a jump knee, avoided a Lineker combination. Sandhagen landed a left hook to the body and ate a hook in return. Lineker landed a couple bombs, kept the pressure on Lineker. More feints from Sandhagen, who tried another jump knee that missed. Lineker threw about six hooks that all missed. Sandhagen shot in, landed an elbow from the clinch, then landed a cartwheel kick. Lineker landed a massive hook to the head. Sandhagen partially blocked another powerful Lineker combination. Sandhagen was eating shots, but not stopping, and worked in his left hook to the body. He threw a one-two that connected. Lineker loaded up and missed. Sandhagen feinted two jabs and landed a nice right hand. Lineker landed a leg kick that knocked Sandhagen out of position, but Cory still ducked or blocked his follow-up hooks, and stayed in his face looking to counter as the round ended.
Sandhagen landed a leg kick, and Lineker landed a body kick and threw a combination of his usual powerbombs. Nice jab from Sandhagen. Lineker countered a leg kick with body work, and was ripping the body of Sandhagen, who threw another jump knee that missed. Lineker whiffed and Sandhagen countered. Nice bodyshot from Sandhagen, who ducked the counter smoothly. Lineker landed a leg kick. Sandhagen was trying to find his range just outside of of Lineker’s reach, throwing out a jumping switchkick. Lineker found his range and landed a combination. Sandhagen shot in smoothly and Lineker stuffed it, but Sandhagen held onto the bodylock and tossed Lineker. The Brazilian got back up, eating a knee to the head for his trouble. Sandhagen landed a body kick that Lineker said might have gone low, but they kept fighting. Lineker threw a couple hooks and shot in himself, dragging Sandhagen to the floor this time. He tried to crank Cory’s neck, but Sandhagen slipped away. Sandhagen darted in with a few jabs and a right hand. An overhand right landed for Sandhagen. They traded, Sandhagen leaning away from most of Lineker’s powerbombs to land his own sneaky shots.
Sandhagen backed away from Lineker’s winging hooks, pecked away with jabs, blocked or ducked Lineker’s punches for a whole sequence, jabbing away. Sandhagen landed a right hand but ate a massive right and left body shot from the shorter man. Both men were punching deeper into combinations, and Lineker was connecting on huge shots. Sandhagen lined up a clean right hand and then snapped Lineker’s head back again with a jab. Sandhagen didn’t seem bothered at all by Lineker’s power, and threw up a big high kick. Lineker whiffed on a hook, then went wild with one-twos, some of which got through. Sandhagen jabbed and threw an uppercut. He finally landed that jump knee to the chin. Sandhagen raised his hands, beckoning Lineker on. Lineker ate an uppercut but landed a body shot. Sandhagen ate a left hook, blocked and ducked another combination. Everything Lineker was throwing had heat. He rocked Sandhagen, who shot straight into a guillotine! Lineker was cranking on it, but Sandhagen held on through the bell. What a cracking fight through three rounds.
The split decision went Cory Sandhagen’s way, to boos from the crowd. Sandhagen heard the boos and said ‘that doesn’t feel very good’. He said he has a lot of respect for John Lineker. He said the last-second guillotine was very tight, and Lineker squeezed the blood out of his nose, but he wasn’t going to tap with 20 seconds left. “You know how I roll.” He declined to make a specific callout, saying he is here to raise the bar and get better, with the belt in 2020 his ultimate goal.
Results: Cory Sandhagen def. John Lineker via split decision (29-28×2, 28-29)
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