Cory Sandhagen faces Umar Nurmagomedov, this August 3 at UFC Fight Night Abu Dhabi.
When you’re a lifer in mixed martial arts, that rundown feeling is just part of the fight game. It’s the sign that the fight, the chance to put on display months of hard work, is getting closer. And for the 32-year-old Sandhagen, who seems like he is about one win away from his second crack at a UFC title, the opportunity to push himself to the brink is everything he could want.
“Umar brought the best out of me in this fight camp,” Sandhagen said. “I've never worked so many hours to learn more and more and more and more. Of course, that, paired with the physical piece and then the mental piece and just all of it, I've already pushed myself harder than I've ever had to push myself, which is great. (I’m) super grateful for that.
“I feel like I unlocked some new things inside of myself.”
When fight fans last saw the Colorado native, he had finished a clean sweep on the scorecards of Rob Font in Nashville, but that performance wasn’t the one for which Sandhagen hoped. Although he dominated Font — who stepped in on short-notice when Nurmagomedov pulled out with an injury — it wasn’t the most exciting approach. Sandhagen suffered a torn tricep in the first round, which forced him to adopt a wrestling-heavy attack for the majority of the bout. Instead of throwing his kaleidoscope of skills at Font in hopes of overwhelming him, Sandhagen was forced to maintain top control, stay safe and get the nod from the judges.
Sandhagen went so far as to apologize to the UFC brass for the performance, which UFC CEO Dana White said wasn’t as disappointing as it was being made out to be. A big silver lining was Sandhagen’s continued evolution. He might not have had the toolbag to shift gears in the same way in years prior.
Regardless, Sandhagen was forced to take time off to recover, so, despite three consecutive wins in the span of 11 months, he found himself sidelined in the ultra-competitive bantamweight division. A couple weeks after his win over Font, Sean O’Malley wrested the belt from Aljamain Sterling and defended it in style against Marlon “Chito” Vera, while Merab Dvalishvili stamped his claim as the No. 1 contender with a win over former double-champ Henry Cejudo. Although he would have rather racked up another win and maybe a title shot in the same timeframe, Sandhagen enjoyed those “inspiring” wins from O’Malley and Dvalishvili.
Meanwhile, he was relegated as a one-armed southpaw for months. He did get married—sling and all—to his longtime partner Erica and started posting more frequently on his YouTube channel, the latter endeavor a response to the sport’s growing popularity.
Sandhagen also expressed appreciation for Wittman’s positive attitude and frequent encouragement of his athletes, whether they are drilling, sparring or in a fight, saying it gives him a sense of togetherness in the trenches.
He expects to “surprise” people when he steps across from the undefeated Nurmagomedov on August 3. From his approach on the feet to his defensive grappling skills, Sandhagen feels wholly prepared to announce himself as the next guy in line for a title fight. He holds a healthy respect for Nurmagomedov’s “unique” skillset, calling him a called him a “no bulls**t, very well-rounded martial artist,” like himself. He particularly is intrigued with the way Nurmagomedov approaches striking in combination with his well-documented wrestling prowess, making for a contender many others in Sandhagen’s position would try to avoid. Instead, Sandhagen is chomping at the bit to hand Nurmagomedov his first career loss.
Heading to the site of his first career main event against Marlon Moraes as well as his interim title fight with Petr Yan, Sandhagen can’t help but feel like he is in his own version of Enter the Dragon, in which Bruce Lee and other martial artists travel to a remote location to compete.
Movie references aside, Sandhagen said he “pats himself on the back” for how he handled the injury-induced layoff. From sharpening himself physically, mentally and spiritually as a fighter to the “overtime” put in during training camp, he sees August 3 as the start of his run to the title.
“I'm really grateful that I get to fight with Umar,” he said. “(He) pushed me to be better than I feel like I've ever been.”
Don't miss a moment of UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs. Nurmagomedov, live from Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on August 3, 2024. Prelims start at 12pm ET/9am PT, while the main card kicks off live on ABC, ESPN & ESPN+ at 3pm ET/12pm PT.