Cory Sandhagen is preparing for a challenging fight against Umar Nurmagomedov in a five-round bantamweight headliner at UFC Abu Dhabi on August 3, with the winner likely to get a shot at the UFC belt.
Cory Sandhagen knows what he’s up against. He’s set to face Umar Nurmagomedov in a five-round bantamweight headliner at UFC Abu Dhabi on August 3.
“It’s gonna be a real pain,” Sandhagen admitted on The MMA Hour. “A tough one, but I’m ready.”
People haven’t seen his grappling skills yet. He’s excited to show them off. He’s been training with Ryan Hall, and it’s a unique style.
“He’ll have a hard time dealing with it,” Sandhagen said. “The space he leaves is gonna be a problem, but I’ll figure it out.” He’s already trained for 10 weeks and is about to start another 12-week camp.
Sandhagen, 32, was supposed to fight Nurmagomedov in August 2023 at UFC Nashville. But Nurmagomedov pulled out due to a shoulder injury. Sandhagen ended up fighting and beating Rob Font, but tore his right tricep and was out of action until recently.
Nurmagomedov, 28, is seen as a rising star at 135 pounds. He’s Khabib Nurmagomedov‘s cousin and Usman Nurmagomedov’s older brother. He’s undefeated in his UFC career and has a 17-0 record in professional MMA since 2016.
“I watched his last fight,” Sandhagen said. “The other guy didn’t know how to handle Umar’s grappling style. He didn’t spend much time on his feet, probably because he got dropped early. You just have to know how to fight these guys on the ground.”
Sandhagen is one of the top-ranked bantamweights in the world. He’s won three straight fights, including against Song Yadong and Marlon Vera. He’s been told that a shot at the UFC belt could be on the line when he fights Nurmagomedov.
“Hunter [Campbell] said it’s likely me after this fight,” Sandhagen said. “So yeah, I’m excited.”
Being sidelined has motivated Sandhagen. He’s realized he’s in the second half of his UFC career and has about “five to seven more years” to achieve his goals. He’s eager to start on August 3.
“I don’t want fights to go the distance,” Sandhagen said. “I’ve been working on adding power to my strikes and submissions. I’m confident and ready to cause some damage.”
He’s motivated and inspired. “I want to be a world champion,” he said. “I want to be something unbelievable. I want to have unbelievable kickboxing, wrestling, and jiu-jitsu. I want to be the best ever.”
He’s focused on his goal. “If you’re going to be unbelievable, you don’t get to mess around for the next five years,” he said. “I’ve recalibrated my goals. I’m driven to be that unbelievable fighter that no one’s seen before. I’m really motivated, man.”