Cory Sandhagen Dismisses Phobia Surrounding The ‘Nurmagomedov’ Name: ‘No One’s Seen Me Defensively Wrestle!’
Cory Sandhagen recently shrugged off any apprehensions typically linked with the ‘Nurmagomedov’ name in the MMA world as he gears up for his bout against Umar Nurmagomedov.
Sandhagen is set to clash with Umar in a high-stakes bantamweight showdown in the main event of UFC Fight Night Abu Dhabi, which is slated to take place this weekend at the Etihad Arena on Yas Island, United Arab Emirates.
With divisional champion Sean O’Malley set to defend his title against Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 306 next month, the victor of Saturday night’s bout could end up in line to challenge the winner of that highly anticipated showdown.
Both fighters were initially scheduled to face off at UFC Fight Night Nashville in August 2023. However, Nurmagomedov was forced to withdraw just weeks before the event due to a shoulder injury. Consequently, Sandhagen took on late-replacement Rob Font in a catchweight matchup and emerged victorious.
Umar enters the fight surrounded by considerable hype, thanks to his ties to the legendary Nurmagomedov family. As a cousin of UFC Hall of Famer Khabib Nurmagomedov and the elder brother of Bellator lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov, the 28-year-old Dagestani is also renowned for his exceptional grappling and submission skills.
Despite this formidable lineage and the reputation it carries, “The Sandman” remains unfazed by any accompanying stigma…
Sandhagen Brims With Confidence In His Preparation for Umar
In a recent media session leading up to his August 3 fight, Sandhagen offered insights into his matchup with Umar. The former UFC interim title challenger revealed that he has dedicated extensive effort to preparing for this bout and is confident that his hard work will yield significant rewards on fight night.
“I had to work a lot of overtime hours to make sure that I was prepared for this fight,” Sandhagen said. “But yeah, I mean, the rankings, him coming up, the odds, the bettors—I could honestly give a sh*t or less. I’m focused on what I’m going to do on Saturday and that’s executing under the lights, and I can’t wait for that. It’s weird that people are counting me out for this one.”
“The Sandman” further brushed off concerns about Nurmagomedov’s reputation for dominance, emphasizing instead that he matches his opponent’s wrestling prowess.
“No one’s seen me defensively wrestle, almost ever, you know, except for the situation with [Aljamain] Sterling. That’s what we’ll call that loss—a situation. The situation with Sterling was, what, four years ago? I was two years into my career then; I’m six or seven years into my career now, and still no one’s really seen it. So it’s just another element that I get to show to people.”
Sandhagen has long been a fixture among the elite in the UFC’s bantamweight division, fueled by his relentless quest for a title. Currently on a three-fight winning streak, the 32-year-old Colorado native has delivered standout performances against Song Yadong, Marlon Vera, and Rob Font.
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