'I don't care about rankings,' says Sandhagen as he looks to seal title with victory in Abu Dhabi
DUBAI: When Cory Sandhagen steps into the Etihad Arena for UFC Night on August 3, it will be a familiar sight.
The 32-year-old American boxer is set to face Umar Nurmagomedov in a bantamweight bout next week, his third time travelling to Yas Island in Abu Dhabi.
With one win and one defeat in Abu Dhabi, Sandhagen is prepared for all contingencies when facing the youngster from Dagestan in the capital of the United Arab Emirates.
“I’m just preparing myself as best I can for everything that’s going to happen in this fight,” Sanhagen told Arab News.
“Just learning and understanding all the ways he fights, how he grapples, how he strikes,” he added. “Making sure I don’t get caught off guard because I know with someone with that style, it’s easy for people to think it’s one thing, but it’s definitely not that.”
Sandhagen (17-4-0) is on a three-fight winning streak and another win in Abu Dhabi could give him a shot at a title shot.
“I definitely think so. I don't think there's anybody in the division that can really beat (these opponents),” Sanhagen said. “(Yadon) Song is a top-10 fighter, Chito (Marlon Vera) is a top-10 fighter, (Rob) Font was a top-10 fighter when I fought him.
“These are some of the most impressive wins,” he added. “Beating Song, beating Chito every round, then beating Font every round, I think I’ve had the most impressive performances against the best fighters. I think fighting a young fighter who is known as one of the best title contenders in the division, beating him, I think that will definitely give me a solid shot at the title.”
Sandhagen brushed off any allegations that as the No. 2-ranked bantamweight, he had more to lose in Abu Dhabi than his No. 10 opponent, who has a 17-0-0 record.
“I don’t care about rankings. If someone is better than me, I want them to have my belt,” he said. “If Umar is better than me (and beats me), I want him to go because that means he deserves it more than me. I don’t care about rankings. I don’t care what I have to lose.
“I want the best to be the champion and if I think I’m the best, I’m going to go out there and prove it to them no matter who they are, no matter what their ranking is, no matter how many times they’ve fought in the UFC,” the Colorado native said. “If Umar is better than me, I want him to beat me. That means he deserves it. If I beat Umar, that means I’m better than him and I deserve a shot at the title. That’s how I talk about the fight. We’ll see if he’s better than me.”
Sandkagen has played in Abu Dhabi twice before, first beating Marlon Moraes at the Flash Forum in October 2021 before losing to Petr Jan at the Etihad Arena a year later. He recalls both experiences fondly.
“It was great. I really love this part of the world,” he said. “The first time I went there was when I went out to fight Marlon. I love this part of the world. I thought the welcome there was amazing. Very kind. The hotel was really great.”
He also gave special appreciation to the fans in the area.
“I don’t really remember ever hearing that much booing. I think the fan base there is very different from the American ones in that they’re not the biggest fans. They still cheer for their fighters. But I think that part of the world has a much deeper, richer history in martial arts, and I think what they’re most interested in is watching a good fight and a high-level performance.
“The Middle East has some of the best fighters in the world. Many areas in the Middle East have some of the best fighters in the world, and there is a deep and diverse martial arts culture. I love the fans in Abu Dhabi, I think they are very kind and fair.”
Abu Dhabi has been a UFC hub for years, and on June 22, Saudi Arabia hosted its first-ever UFC Fight Night at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh. Sandhagen believes hosting the event in the region helps promote the UFC and its roster of fighters.
“I think it’s great,” he said. “The more the UFC gets recognized around the world, the more opportunities we have. Above all, I think it’s great that fighting brings all parts of the world together.
“Dagestan is very popular right now and people here love it and enjoy it,” he added. “It makes Dagestan more known. I didn’t know where it was and I think that’s a great aspect of what the UFC is doing. It brings us all a little bit closer.”
Sandhagen hopes the UFC’s proliferation in the region in the coming years will lead to more local fighters, and he’s happy to be a part of it.
“One of my favorite things about going to the UFC is that I always feel so inspired,” he said. “I feel so inspired to fight better, but at the same time, I feel so inspired by the people, by some of the fighters, and how they can go out there and perform. I think if you can inspire someone in a small way, it can make a big difference.”
