UFC Fight Island 5 free fight: Cory Sandhagen pulls off come-from-behind TKO win over Iuri Alcantara (video)

Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports

Cory Sandhagen has quickly emerged as one of the fastest-rising contenders at Bantamweight, winning his first five fights inside the Octagon before losing in his last outing to No. 1 contender, Aljamain Sterling.

During his win streak, Sandhagen racked up several impressive finishes, including one over longtime UFC veteran Iuri Alcantara. Back in August of 2018, Cory was coming into his second UFC fight with three straight knockout wins when he got the call to face Iuri.

Early on, however, Sandhagen found himself in a world of hurt as Alcantara rocked him in the opening seconds of round one. Once on the ground, the jiu-jitsu ace caught Cory in a tight armbar that would have had a large percentage of fighters tapping for dear life.

Undeterred, a bloodied Sandhagen somehow fought his way out of it thanks to his rubber-like limbs. After reversing position, Sandhagen went on the offensive and blasted Alcantara with some big shots. In the opening seconds of round two, Cory stunned the Brazilian bomber, dropping him to the blood-soaked canvas.

After dropping bomb after bomb, Sandhagen found himself with another knockout win, this time in incredible comeback fashion.

Now, Sandhagen will look to score the biggest win of his career against former title contender, Marlon Moraes this Saturday night (Oct. 10, 2020) in the main event of UFC Fight Island 5 in Abu Dhabi.

To see the full UFC Fight Island 5 fight card click here.