Tag: Cory Sandhagen

Sandhagen Gives Verdict On ‘Chess Match’ Between Dvalishvili & O’Malley

The UFC 306 main event may not have been received that well by some sections of the fanbase but it did see the bantamweight title change hands. Merab Dvalishvili appeared to be in control for the vast majority of the fight against Sean O’Malley, even if the scorecards tell a different story. Though “Suga” was […]

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The UFC 306 main event may not have been received that well by some sections of the fanbase but it did see the bantamweight title change hands.

Merab Dvalishvili appeared to be in control for the vast majority of the fight against Sean O’Malley, even if the scorecards tell a different story.

Though “Suga” was able to hurt his challenger in the fifth and final round, Dvalishvili’s movement, takedowns and reading of the fight were very effective.

His performance massively impressed the #4-ranked contender Cory Sandhagen who, since the fight, has called next to face O’Malley.

Cory Sandhagen Gives His Post-Fight Analysis Of UFC 306 Main Event

In a recent interview with James Lynch for Fanatics View, Sandhagen gave his thoughts on this past weekend’s bantamweight title fight.

He started by saying that his prediction for the fight had switched as the fight approached, after further consideration.

“I thought O’Malley was going to catch him until I started getting a little bit closer to the fight and I started talking to other people and getting their opinions and what they thought and blah, blah, blah. I was honestly, and not to change my mind because I’m really bad at calling fights, but I did change my mind in this one and go Merab toward the end of it.

“Once I started to reflect on how badass it is to go on a 10 or 11 fight win streak and then also never be finished or anything like that, even though he does get clipped in some of his fights, the shots that he got clipped in weren’t necessarily, like they were lead hooks, they weren’t really things that O’Malley even throws, but I thought Merab did awesome.”

One of the aspects of the fight that Sandhagen was most impressed by was Dvalishvili’s ability to close the distance and shoot for takedowns without putting himself in harm’s way.

This was always going to be where O’Malley was at his most dangerous but it didn’t end up playing into the outcome.

“I thought he fought the fight that you should fight if you have Merab’s skill set against O’Malley. I think he moved when he needed to move. The thing that I was most worried about is Merab’s just a very excitable guy and I was worried that he was gonna not be patient and he was going to bounce around and then make a mistake by going in and he was completely patient. He was cool in there, expect for the whole Tim Welch and his thing in the beginning of the fight but man, he just did such an amazing job and that’s a really, really good win because O’Malley is a really serious fighter.”

Finally, “The Sandman” said that he enjoyed watching this high-stakes clash at the Sphere despite some of the criticisms that it received from fans.

“I know that a lot of fans were bored with that one or whatever but I really do like watching chess matches and I think that that was Merab just out-chessing O’Malley and that was exciting for me to watch.”

Read also: ‘His Corner Work Was S**t’ – Former UFC Champ Goes Off On Sean O’Malley’s Coach For Merab Dvalishvili Loss

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Cory Sandhagen Claims Top Five Contender Turned Him Down For December

Former interim UFC bantamweight title challenger Cory Sandhagen says a notable name toward the top of the rankings recently rejected the chance to throw down with him before the end of this year. Merab Dvalishvili now sits at the top of the bantamweight division following his win over Sean O’Malley this past weekend at UFC […]

Continue Reading Cory Sandhagen Claims Top Five Contender Turned Him Down For December at MMA News.

Former interim UFC bantamweight title challenger Cory Sandhagen says a notable name toward the top of the rankings recently rejected the chance to throw down with him before the end of this year.

Merab Dvalishvili now sits at the top of the bantamweight division following his win over Sean O’Malley this past weekend at UFC 306. With “Suga” now set to return to the contender ranks, there is sure to be several other 135-pounders wanting to face him in his next outing.

One of those names is Cory Sandhagen, who is looking to bounce back from his defeat to Umar Nurmagomedov in August.

With the Dagestani likely being the next contender in line, Sandhagen thinks that he and O’Malley makes a lot of sense, especially after he claims he was turned down by another top contender…

Cory Sandhagen Says Deiveson Figueiredo Rejected December Fight

Dvalishvili has made it pretty clear that, in his opinion, former UFC flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo is most deserving of the next title shot. The Brazilian has won three in a row since moving up a weight class with impressive performances against Rob Font, Cody Garbrandt, and Marlon Vera.

With O’Malley potentially taking some time off, a fight between Sandhagen and “Deus Da Guerra” would make a lot of sense while Nurmagomedov challenges for the belt.

However, in his post-event breakdown of UFC 306, Sandhagen revealed on his YouTube channel that this fight has already been offered and declined on Figueiredo’s side.

“The Sandman” initially said that the fight was targeted for September but later corrected himself by saying that it was on the table for December.

With the other top names in the division being busy or inactive, he sees this as the perfect time to finally match him and O’Malley up.

“I got to say, I think that you’re absolutely insane if you don’t want to see me and O’Malley fight next, okay. I am pretty sure that maybe the entire division is going to be calling out Sean O’Malley next, just because that’s the way that people do things, but you guys know that this has been a fight that’s been in the works for a long time. I’m not going to try to sound like I’m trying to throw this idea at you guys, you guys know it’s a good idea. Back me up on all that stuff, me and O’Malley got next.

“Figgy turned down a fight against me in September, which is just kind of whack because I thought that Figgy was a little bit more about that life than that. I’m kind of actually hurt that Figgy doesn’t want to fight me in December. I don’t know what that dude’s plan is, I think Yan’s out for a little bit, Henry’s like hurt/not hurt sometimes. I don’t really know what goes on with that guy, but me and O’Malley got next.”

Continue Reading Cory Sandhagen Claims Top Five Contender Turned Him Down For December at MMA News.

Cory Sandhagen calls for fight with Sean O’Malley after Noche UFC: ‘Me and him got next’

Cory Sandhagen calls for fight with Sean O'Malley after Noche UFC: 'Me and him got next'Former interim bantamweight title challenger, Cory Sandhagen has staked his claim for a long-overdue fight with now-former undisputed titleholder,…

Cory Sandhagen calls for fight with Sean O'Malley after Noche UFC: 'Me and him got next'

Former interim bantamweight title challenger, Cory Sandhagen has staked his claim for a long-overdue fight with now-former undisputed titleholder, Sean O’Malley following the latter’s defeat at Noche UFC over the course of the weekend — claiming a drawn-out pairing should take place now.

Sandhagen, the current number four ranked bantamweight contender, most recently headlined UFC Fight Night Abu Dhabi earlier this summer in his return to the Octagon — dropping a one-sided unanimous judging loss to the undefeated, Umar Nurmagomedov in the pair’s officially-billed title eliminator.

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And as for Montana striker, O’Malley, the Contender Series alum headlined Noche UFC over the course of last weekend at the Las Vegas Sphere, losing his crown in a one-sided unanimous decision defeat of his own against surging wrestling ace, Merab Dvalishvili in the pair’s title grudge match.

Set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines, O’Malley also confirmed how he is set to undergo a surgical procedure to address a labrum tear in his shoulder, which will keep him from action for an expected four-week period.

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Cory Sandhagen stakes claim for intriguing fight with Sean O’Malley

However, according to Aurora technician, Sandhagen, if O’Malley should be fighting anybody in his return to action following his title loss — it should be him first and foremost.

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“Good on Merab (Dvalishvili), congrats to the new champion and all of that stuff, blah blah blah but, we get into the breakdown, I’ve got to say that you are absolutely insane if you don’t want to see me and (Sean) O’Malley fight next,” Cory Sandhagen said on his YouTube channel following Noche UFC.

“You guys know that this has been a fight that’s been in the works for a really long time,” Cory Sandhagen explained. “I’m not going to try and sound like I am throwing this idea out at your guys, you already know that’s a good idea — me and O’Malley got next.”

UFC Rankings Report: Belal Muhammad Jumps Sean O’Malley On Pound-For-Pound List

As always, the latest action on offer inside the Octagon has seen some climb the ladder toward contention and others fall away. And in the aftermath of UFC Fight Night: Cory Sandhagen vs. Umar Nurmagomedov, MMA News has you covered with this week’s updates to the official UFC rankings. Men’s Pound-For-Pound: A week after entering the P4P […]

Continue Reading UFC Rankings Report: Belal Muhammad Jumps Sean O’Malley On Pound-For-Pound List at MMA News.

As always, the latest action on offer inside the Octagon has seen some climb the ladder toward contention and others fall away.

And in the aftermath of UFC Fight Night: Cory Sandhagen vs. Umar Nurmagomedov, MMA News has you covered with this week’s updates to the official UFC rankings.

Men’s Pound-For-Pound: A week after entering the P4P rankings at #6, Belal Muhammad has had another boost. The welterweight champion has now moved above his bantamweight counterpart, Sean O’Malley (#6), to occupy the #5 position.

Women’s Pound-for-Pound: Bantamweight queen Raquel Pennington is expected to defend her title for the first time opposite ex-champ Julianna Peña this fall. And the pair now sit on the same step of the pound-for-pound rankings, with “Rocky” joining “The Venezuelan Vixen” to share #5.

Women’s Strawweight: Mackenzie Dern bounced back from a two-fight skid on Saturday, but she’s still fallen further at 115 pounds. The Brazilian jiu-jitsu ace has dropped one place to #8, with her compatriot Amanda Ribas moving up to #7.

Women’s Flyweight: While on the rise at strawweight, Ribas has taken a hit at 125 pounds, slipping one spot to #10 below Viviane Araújo (#9).

Women’s Bantamweight: At 135 pounds, Miesha Tate and Norma Dumont have both been boosted to #8, leaving a three-way tie for the position with Karol Rosa.

Flyweight: No changes.

Bantamweight: Umar Nurmagomedov secured the biggest win of his young career to date in Abu Dhabi, outpointing the highly ranked Cory Sandhagen across five rounds. As a result, the Dagestani has climbed a mammoth eight places to #2. “The Sandman,” meanwhile has remained in the top five after a one-spot drop to #4.

Also on the rise at 135 pounds is Deiveson Figueiredo (#5), who secured a top-five position with his comfortable victory over former title challenger Marlon Vera this past weekend.

Featherweight: At 145 pounds, Movsar Evloev is down one step to #6, no longer sharing the #5 place with Arnold Allen. Further down, Bryce Mitchell has moved up to share #12 with Diego Lopes.

Lightweight: Despite having his return announced for 170 pounds at UFC 308 later this year, former champ Rafael dos Anjos has received a boost at 155 pounds. He’s climbed to #13, swapping positions with Jalin Turner (#14).

Welterweight: No changes.

Middleweight: No changes.

Light Heavyweight: He’s had to wait a while but Roman Dolidze is finally ranked in two weight classes following his triumph over Anthony Smith at UFC 303. The Georgian has arrived at 205 pounds in the #15 position, three spots below “Lionheart.”

Elsewhere in the division, Azamat Murzakanov is knocking on the door of the top 10 after climbing three spots to #11 courtesy of his knockout win over Alonzo Menifield on August 3.

Heavyweight: No changes.

You can view the full updated UFC rankings here.

Continue Reading UFC Rankings Report: Belal Muhammad Jumps Sean O’Malley On Pound-For-Pound List at MMA News.

VIDEO: UFC Champ Sean O’Malley Reacts To ‘Close Fight’ Between Umar Nurmagomedov & Cory Sandhagen

UFC Bantamweight Champion Sean O’Malley paid close attention as a key matchup in his division went down in Abu Dhabi this past weekend. In what was widely branded a title eliminator, top-five contender Cory Sandhagen and undefeated up-and-comer Umar Nurmagomedov collided in Saturday’s UFC Fight Night main event. While “The Sandman” was looking to record […]

Continue Reading VIDEO: UFC Champ Sean O’Malley Reacts To ‘Close Fight’ Between Umar Nurmagomedov & Cory Sandhagen at MMA News.

UFC Bantamweight Champion Sean O’Malley paid close attention as a key matchup in his division went down in Abu Dhabi this past weekend.

In what was widely branded a title eliminator, top-five contender Cory Sandhagen and undefeated up-and-comer Umar Nurmagomedov collided in Saturday’s UFC Fight Night main event.

While “The Sandman” was looking to record his fourth straight headline win en route to a second shot at gold, his Dagestani counterpart was hoping to secure his first championship opportunity with his record’s 0 in tact.

It was ultimately the latter who succeeded, securing three convincing scorecards in his favor after five competitive rounds of action in the Middle East.

O’Malley Praises Nurmagomedov For Beating ‘One Of The Pound-For-Pound Best’ In Sandhagen

In a video recently uploaded to his YouTube channel, O’Malley reacted live to the five-round headliner between Sandhagen and Nurmagomedov.

“Cory’s a f*cking serial killer. … Here we go,” O’Malley said. “Great job by Cory defensively. … I forget Umar is a striker. … Another close round. I’m almost giving these to Umar just ’cause of the takedowns. It’s hard when they’re both so f*cking high level for someone to take control of the fight. … Every time Cory comes forward, Umar’s countering hard.”

While summarizing the “close” fight, O’Malley praised both men for their efforts and branded their contest “as high level” as possible.

“Alright, boys, Umar got the job done. Pretty close fight, in my opinion,” O’Malley said. “Cory is, in my opinion, one of the pound-for-pound best guys in the world. For Umar to be ranked #10, a lot of guys didn’t want to fight him…no one in the UFC wanted to fight this guy.

“Incredible performance, by both guys really,” O’Malley continued. “Cory did a really good job shutting down Umar’s offensive takedowns and wrestling. Striking was pretty close; Umar looked like he landed harder shots. Overall, that’s as high level of a fight as it gets.”

Following the decision going in favor of Nurmagomedov, O’Malley reacted as the Dagestani called to fight the winner of his upcoming Sphere showdown with Merab Dvalishvili.

“Me versus Umar next? … Undefeated Umar, 18-0, versus undefeated ‘Sugar Show,’ 19-0. Beat a Dagestani, I wouldn’t mind that. That would be a real good way to get at Conor (McGregor). Imagine how jealous he would be. I might go whoop Umar just for that reason alone.”

Nurmagomedov wasn’t the only victorious fighter with O’Malley’s name on his lips post-fight in Abu Dhabi. Former two-time flyweight kingpin Deiveson Figueiredo also called for a shot at “Sugar” following his win over Marlon Vera.

The champ had an expected reaction to that callout…

Continue Reading VIDEO: UFC Champ Sean O’Malley Reacts To ‘Close Fight’ Between Umar Nurmagomedov & Cory Sandhagen at MMA News.

Umar Nurmagomedov ‘Not Happy’ With Performance Against Cory Sandhagen At UFC Fight Night Abu Dhabi: ‘I Thought I Would Maul Him’

UFC bantamweight contender Umar Nurmagomedov seemingly wasn’t expecting so much resistance from Cory Sandhagen in their clash this past weekend. The pair of elite 135lbers headlined Saturday’s UFC Fight Night event in Abu Dhabi, with both looking to stake their claim for the next spot in line for a title shot after Merab Dvalishvili cashes […]

Continue Reading Umar Nurmagomedov ‘Not Happy’ With Performance Against Cory Sandhagen At UFC Fight Night Abu Dhabi: ‘I Thought I Would Maul Him’ at MMA News.

UFC bantamweight contender Umar Nurmagomedov seemingly wasn’t expecting so much resistance from Cory Sandhagen in their clash this past weekend.

The pair of elite 135lbers headlined Saturday’s UFC Fight Night event in Abu Dhabi, with both looking to stake their claim for the next spot in line for a title shot after Merab Dvalishvili cashes in on his earned opportunity against Sean O’Malley this September.

It was ultimately the undefeated Dagestani who achieved that goal, emerging victorious and keeping his 0 after five rounds of action inside the Etihad Arena.

But while it was a convincing win on the scorecards, Nurmagomedov didn’t depart the Octagon fully satisfied…

Nurmagomedov Critical Of His Win Over Sandhagen

During his post-fight press conference, Nurmagomedov reflected on his performance in Saturday’s main event.

Despite securing three lopsided scorecards and even pitching a shutout on one, the Dagestani was self-critical. Nurmagomedov admitted that he had expected to have his way with Sandhagen in the grappling department.

“I’m not happy,” Nurmagomedov said. “It was a good performance on the striking, but if we’re talking about grappling and how I control him, it was not good.

“I thought I would maul him on the ground, but he’s tough, he’s good,” Nurmagomedov continued. “Cody is too good and has hard kicks, and he’s a tough man. I think he has more experience than me in the UFC cage, but I win, and I’m happy today I win.”

Nevertheless, Nurmagomedov still exited the cage with the biggest win of his career to date, as well as a first championship opportunity likely in the bag.

He’ll now have a close eye on the Sphere showdown between O’Malley and Dvalishvili this fall ahead of his potential chance at dethroning the winner down the line.

Continue Reading Umar Nurmagomedov ‘Not Happy’ With Performance Against Cory Sandhagen At UFC Fight Night Abu Dhabi: ‘I Thought I Would Maul Him’ at MMA News.