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Return finally scheduled
Sandhagen (triceps) is scheduled to compete against Umar Nurmagomedov in a five-round bantamweight fight at UFC Abu Dhabi on Aug. 3, per Damon Martin of MMAFighting.com.
ANALYSIS
After over eight months recovering from a tricep injury, Sandhagen has been scheduled a fight for a date that would make it just under a year since his last bout, a win over Rob Font at UFC on ESPN 50 in Nashville. Nurmagomedov expected to compete against Sandhagen then before the former withdrew because of a shoulder injury.
After over eight months recovering from a tricep injury, Sandhagen has been scheduled a fight for a date that would make it just under a year since his last bout, a win over Rob Font at UFC on ESPN 50 in Nashville. Nurmagomedov expected to compete against Sandhagen then before the former withdrew because of a shoulder injury.
Out six months for biceps surgery
Sandhagen said Thursday that he will undergo surgery to address a torn triceps and will be out for six months, Nolan King of USA Today reports.
ANALYSIS
Sandhagen's injury doesn't bode well for his championship ambitions, as Aljamain Sterling and Sean O'Malley are scheduled to fight for bantamweight gold on Saturday. After that, the next bantamweight championship fight could take place before Sandhagen overcomes the triceps injury.
Sandhagen's injury doesn't bode well for his championship ambitions, as Aljamain Sterling and Sean O'Malley are scheduled to fight for bantamweight gold on Saturday. After that, the next bantamweight championship fight could take place before Sandhagen overcomes the triceps injury.
Another easy win, title shot next?
Sandhagen defeated Rob Font via unanimous decision (50-45, 50-45, 50-45) at UFC on ESPN 50 on Saturday in Nashville.
ANALYSIS
The crowd in Nashville wasn't thrilled with Sandhagen's grappling-oriented game plan, but he did what was necessary to ensure he would cruise to a win and not be threatened in the process. Cory landed all seven of his takedown attempts, good for a ridiculous 19:38 worth of control time. He had no less than 2:43 worth of control time in each of the five rounds. Sandhagen never really threatened to end the bout other than a late choke, but that's irrelevant. Cory was set to be roughly a +250 underdog against his originally scheduled opponent, Umar Nurmagomedov. The late-notice change to Font couldn't have worked out better for Sandhagen. He picked up a shockingly easy victory and called for the winner of the upcoming UFC Bantamweight Championship fight between Aljamain Sterling and Sean O'Malley in the process. Cory might get his wish. It's worth noting he fought Sterling back in June 2020, with Aljo winning in 88 seconds via submission.
The crowd in Nashville wasn't thrilled with Sandhagen's grappling-oriented game plan, but he did what was necessary to ensure he would cruise to a win and not be threatened in the process. Cory landed all seven of his takedown attempts, good for a ridiculous 19:38 worth of control time. He had no less than 2:43 worth of control time in each of the five rounds. Sandhagen never really threatened to end the bout other than a late choke, but that's irrelevant. Cory was set to be roughly a +250 underdog against his originally scheduled opponent, Umar Nurmagomedov. The late-notice change to Font couldn't have worked out better for Sandhagen. He picked up a shockingly easy victory and called for the winner of the upcoming UFC Bantamweight Championship fight between Aljamain Sterling and Sean O'Malley in the process. Cory might get his wish. It's worth noting he fought Sterling back in June 2020, with Aljo winning in 88 seconds via submission.
Catchweight fight scheduled
Sandhagen will fight Rob Font in a five-round catchweight bout at UFC Nashville on Aug. 5, according to Marc Raimondi of ESPN.
ANALYSIS
Sandhagen was supposed to fight Umar Nurmagomedov before the latter withdrew because of a shoulder injury. Meanwhile, Font's fight with Yadong Song was also canceled after the latter withdrew. It only made sense for the two top-seven bantamweights to be put against each other. But with fewer than three weeks remaining before UFC Nashville, the company is willing to give Font a little benefit by having this fight at catchweight to remove concerns about a weight cut.
Sandhagen was supposed to fight Umar Nurmagomedov before the latter withdrew because of a shoulder injury. Meanwhile, Font's fight with Yadong Song was also canceled after the latter withdrew. It only made sense for the two top-seven bantamweights to be put against each other. But with fewer than three weeks remaining before UFC Nashville, the company is willing to give Font a little benefit by having this fight at catchweight to remove concerns about a weight cut.
No longer fighting Umar Nurmagomedov
Sandhagen is no longer scheduled to fight Nurmagomedov at the UFC's Aug. 5 event in Nashville after Nurmagomedov withdrew Wednesday due to a shoulder injury, Nolan King of USA Today reports.
ANALYSIS
The Sandhagen-Nurmagomedov bantamweight bout was set to headline the five-round event, but Nurmagomedov's withdrawal will force the promotion to alter its plans. While Nurmagomedov is off the card entirely since he'll be undergoing surgery next week, it's possible that Sandhagen still ends up fighting Aug. 5 if the UFC can secure a replacement. Sandhagen has won in his last two fights to bring his career MMA record up to 16-4-0.
The Sandhagen-Nurmagomedov bantamweight bout was set to headline the five-round event, but Nurmagomedov's withdrawal will force the promotion to alter its plans. While Nurmagomedov is off the card entirely since he'll be undergoing surgery next week, it's possible that Sandhagen still ends up fighting Aug. 5 if the UFC can secure a replacement. Sandhagen has won in his last two fights to bring his career MMA record up to 16-4-0.