Cory Sandhagen (born April 20, 1992) is an American professional mixed martial artist. He currently competes in the Bantamweight division in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). A professional competitor since 2015, Sandhagen has also competed for Legacy Fighting Alliance. As of April 16, 2024, he is #2 in the UFC bantamweight rankings.[5]
Cory Sandhagen | |
---|---|
Born | Cory Sandhagen April 20, 1992 Aurora, Colorado, U.S. |
Other names | The Sandman |
Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) |
Weight | 135 lb (61 kg; 9 st 9 lb) |
Division | Bantamweight Featherweight |
Reach | 69+1⁄2 in (177 cm)[1] |
Fighting out of | Aurora, Colorado, U.S. |
Team | High Altitude Martial Arts (2010–present)[2] Elevation Fight Team (2017–present)[3] |
Rank | Brown belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu under Eliot Marshall[4] |
Years active | 2015–present |
Mixed martial arts record | |
Total | 21 |
Wins | 17 |
By knockout | 7 |
By submission | 3 |
By decision | 7 |
Losses | 4 |
By submission | 1 |
By decision | 3 |
University | University of Colorado Boulder[2] |
Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog |
Born and raised in Aurora, Colorado, Sandhagen attended Smoky Hill High School where he was on the basketball team – a sport he had been playing from his youth.[6] Sandhagen began martial arts training as a child, starting with taekwondo. His instructors didn't allow punches, so Sandhagen switched to boxing. In kickboxing, Sandhagen won multiple WKA titles including a WKA world title. He then transitioned to mixed martial arts. He had been a fan of the sport since his childhood.[7][8]
Sandhagen graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder with a degree in psychology.[2][6]
Sandhagen made his Legacy Fighting Alliance debut on February 24, 2017, at LFA 5 against Jamall Emmers, losing the bout via unanimous decision.[9] His next fight was on October 17, 2017, against Luiz Antonio Lobo Gavinho at LFA 24, which he won via first round TKO.[10] Sandhagen's final appearance for Legacy Fighting Alliance came on January 19, 2018, at LFA 31, defeating Jose Aguayo via first round TKO.[11]
Sandhagen made his promotional debut at UFC on Fox: Jacaré vs. Brunson 2 on January 27, 2018, against Austin Arnett.[12] He won the fight via second-round TKO.[13]
His next bout was at UFC Fight Night: Gaethje vs. Vick on August 25, 2018 Iuri Alcantara.[14] After a back-and-forth affair, he won the fight via second-round TKO.[15] This fight earned him the Fight of the Night award.[16]
Sandhagen was scheduled to face Thomas Almeida at UFC Fight Night: Cejudo vs. Dillashaw.[17] However, it was later announced that Sandhagen would face John Lineker at the event instead.[18] On January 10, Lineker was forced to withdraw from the bout due to a rib injury.[19] He was replaced by promotional newcomer Mario Bautista.[20] He won the bout via first round submission.[21]
The bout with Lineker was rescheduled and eventually took place on April 27, 2019, at UFC Fight Night: Jacaré vs. Hermansson.[22] Sandhagen won the fight via split decision.[23]
Sandhagen faced Raphael Assunção on August 17, 2019, at UFC 241.[24] He won the bout by unanimous decision.[25]
Sandhagen was scheduled to face Frankie Edgar in a bantamweight bout on January 25, 2020, at UFC Fight Night 166.[26] However, Edgar was removed from the fight in favor of a bout against Chan Sung Jung a month earlier at UFC Fight Night 165.[27] In turn, Sandhagen was removed from the card.[28]
Sandhagen faced Aljamain Sterling on June 6, 2020, at UFC 250[29] in a bout that UFC president Dana White confirmed to be a bantamweight title eliminator.[30] He lost the bout via submission in the first round.[31]
Sandhagen faced Marlon Moraes on October 11, 2020 at UFC Fight Night 179 in the main event.[32] Sandhagen won the fight via technical knockout in round two.[33] This win earned him the Performance of the Night award.[34]
Sandhagen faced Frankie Edgar at UFC Fight Night 184 on February 6, 2021.[35] He won the fight via knockout by flying knee in the first round.[36] This win earned him the Performance of the Night award.[37]
Sandhagen was scheduled to face T.J. Dillashaw on May 8, 2021, at UFC on ESPN 24.[38] However, Dillashaw announced on April 27 that he had to pull out of the fight due to a cut he received from a headbutt in training.[39][40] The pairing remained intact and was rescheduled to headline UFC on ESPN: Sandhagen vs. Dillashaw on July 24, 2021.[41] He lost a close fight via split decision.[42] 17 out of 23 media outlets scored the bout as a win for Sandhagen.[43]
Sandhagen faced Petr Yan for the Interim UFC Bantamweight Championship at UFC 267 on October 30, 2021. Sandhagen served as a late replacement for Aljamain Sterling, who was forced to withdraw from the bout with Yan due to a neck injury.[44] He lost the bout via unanimous decision.[45] This bout earned the Fight of the Night award.[46]
Sandhagen faced Song Yadong on September 17, 2022, at UFC Fight Night 210.[47] He won the fight via technical knockout after the doctor stopped the fight due to a cut.[48]
Sandhagen was scheduled to face Marlon Vera on February 18, 2023, at UFC Fight Night 219.[49] However, the bout was rebooked for UFC on ESPN 43 on March 25.[50] Sandhagen won the fight via split decision.[51] Though one judge scored the bout for Vera, 24 out of 24 media outlets scored the bout for Sandhagen.[52]
Sandhagen was scheduled to face Umar Nurmagomedov on August 5, 2023 at UFC on ESPN 50 in Nashville, Tennessee.[53] However, Nurmagomedov withdrew from the event mid-July due to shoulder injury,[54] and was replaced by Rob Font in a catchweight bout of 140 pounds.[55] Sandhagen won the fight via unanimous decision despite tearing his right triceps during the first round.[56]
Apart from his mixed martial arts career, Sandhagen worked part-time at a trauma center for children. He teaches mixed martial arts at High Altitude Martial Arts in Aurora, Colorado.[57]
21 matches | 17 wins | 4 losses |
By knockout | 7 | 0 |
By submission | 3 | 1 |
By decision | 7 | 3 |
Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Win | 17–4 | Rob Font | Decision (unanimous) | UFC on ESPN: Sandhagen vs. Font | August 5, 2023 | 5 | 5:00 | Nashville, Tennessee, United States | Catchweight (140 lb) bout. |
Win | 16–4 | Marlon Vera | Decision (split) | UFC on ESPN: Vera vs. Sandhagen | March 25, 2023 | 5 | 5:00 | San Antonio, Texas, United States | |
Win | 15–4 | Song Yadong | TKO (doctor stoppage) | UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs. Song | September 17, 2022 | 4 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
Loss | 14–4 | Petr Yan | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 267 | October 30, 2021 | 5 | 5:00 | Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates | For the interim UFC Bantamweight Championship. Fight of the Night. |
Loss | 14–3 | T.J. Dillashaw | Decision (split) | UFC on ESPN: Sandhagen vs. Dillashaw | July 24, 2021 | 5 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
Win | 14–2 | Frankie Edgar | KO (flying knee) | UFC Fight Night: Overeem vs. Volkov | February 6, 2021 | 1 | 0:28 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Performance of the Night. |
Win | 13–2 | Marlon Moraes | TKO (spinning wheel kick and punches) | UFC Fight Night: Moraes vs. Sandhagen | October 10, 2020 | 2 | 1:03 | Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates | Performance of the Night. |
Loss | 12–2 | Aljamain Sterling | Submission (rear-naked choke) | UFC 250 | June 6, 2020 | 1 | 1:28 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | UFC bantamweight title eliminator |
Win | 12–1 | Raphael Assunção | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 241 | August 17, 2019 | 3 | 5:00 | Anaheim, California, United States | |
Win | 11–1 | John Lineker | Decision (split) | UFC Fight Night: Jacaré vs. Hermansson | April 27, 2019 | 3 | 5:00 | Sunrise, Florida, United States | |
Win | 10–1 | Mario Bautista | Submission (armbar) | UFC Fight Night: Cejudo vs. Dillashaw | January 19, 2019 | 1 | 3:31 | Brooklyn, New York, United States | |
Win | 9–1 | Iuri Alcântara | TKO (punches) | UFC Fight Night: Gaethje vs. Vick | August 25, 2018 | 2 | 1:01 | Lincoln, Nebraska, United States | Return to Bantamweight. Fight of the Night. |
Win | 8–1 | Austin Arnett | TKO (punches) | UFC on Fox: Jacaré vs. Brunson 2 | January 27, 2018 | 2 | 3:48 | Charlotte, North Carolina, United States | |
Win | 7–1 | José Aguayo | TKO (knee and elbows) | LFA 31 | January 19, 2018 | 1 | 1:07 | Phoenix, Arizona, United States | |
Win | 6–1 | Luiz Antônio Lobo Gavinho | TKO (punches) | LFA 24 | October 13, 2017 | 1 | 3:00 | Phoenix, Arizona, United States | |
Loss | 5–1 | Jamall Emmers | Decision (unanimous) | LFA 5 | February 24, 2017 | 3 | 5:00 | Broomfield, Colorado, United States | |
Win | 5–0 | Clay Wimer | Decision (unanimous) | RFA 43 | September 9, 2016 | 3 | 5:00 | Broomfield, Colorado, United States | |
Win | 4–0 | Josh Huber | Decision (unanimous) | Sparta Combat League 50 | July 16, 2016 | 3 | 5:00 | Castle Rock, Colorado, United States | Won the SCL Featherweight Championship. |
Win | 3–0 | Dalton Goddard | Submission (triangle choke) | Paramount MMA 2016 | May 15, 2016 | 1 | 3:38 | Denver, Colorado, United States | |
Win | 2–0 | Andrew Tenneson | Decision (unanimous) | RFA 34 | January 15, 2016 | 3 | 5:00 | Broomfield, Colorado, United States | Featherweight debut. |
Win | 1–0 | Bruce Sessman | Submission (rear-naked choke) | FTW: Prize Fighting Championship 9 | May 30, 2015 | 1 | 1:16 | Williston, North Dakota, United States | Bantamweight debut. |
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