Cory Sandhagen targets summer UFC return, wants Dominick Cruz or Jose Aldo

Cory Sandhagen wants another big fight for his return to competition.

The UFC bantamweight contender hopes to cross paths with one of the two most established and decorated fighters today at 135 pounds – Dominick Cruz or Jose Aldo. Sandhagen (14-4 MMA, 7-3 UFC) is still angling for the UFC belt and he thinks a fight with either former champion is a great step in that direction.

“I’m still hoping for Aldo or Cruz,” Sandhagen told MMA Junkie. “I think that would set me up very nicely for maybe like two more wins and then fight for the belt again. … At this point, I haven’t tasted a win since I beat Edgar. I would really like a win. I also know I’m very capable of beating anyone in the division also.”

Sandhagen is coming off a unanimous decision loss to Petr Yan back at UFC 267 in October. It was a fight for the UFC interim bantamweight belt and one he took on on short notice. Shortly after the defeat, Sandhagen underwent foot surgery to repair a nagging injury he had been dealing with for the last couple of years. He’s coming along in his recovery and expects a summer return to the octagon.

Sandhagen has plenty of admiration for both Cruz (24-3 MMA, 7-2 UFC) and Aldo (31-7 MMA, 13-6 UFC). The 29-year-old is not opposed to other matchups, but just feels the former champions have something special the rest of the fighters in the division don’t.

“Cruz and Aldo honestly are just both seasoned veterans in a sport where experience is extremely important,” Sanhagen said. “I would really like to test myself against those two. I have the utmost respect for both of them. Anyone that stays in this sport for as long as those have, I know they most really love it. So I appreciate those type of fighters and that’s not to hate on the other guys who kind of leave more when they’re in their prime. I’m not hating on that path either, but I do just have a special appreciation for those guys who stick around for a really long time.

“I don’t think they’re super past their primes, they’ve just been around for a really long time. I would really like to test myself against someone who’s that seasoned and that experienced.”

If given the opportunity to chose, Sandhagen would rather fight Cruz over Aldo. He believes the Cruz matchup must happen before Cruz hangs up the gloves for good.

“I really want to fight Cruz before he retires, Aldo too though,” Sandhagen said. “I get a lot of people saying that me and Cruz are very parallel and our styles this and that, but I love Aldo’s style too. I have been a student of Aldo and Cruz for a very long time. If I did have a preference, I’d go with Cruz because that would just be a right time, right place type of thing.”