There is only one man between Cory Sandhagen and a crack on the UFC title.
The highest bantam weight to not have fought champion Merab Dvalishvili, it should not be as a surprise that Cory Sandhagen calls for a title fight after his massive victory at UFC des Moines.
On Saturday, the #4 candidate needed fewer than two rounds to dominate a former two -time flight weight champion in DeVeson Figueiredo.
The fight was ruled as a TKO interruption of tapout due to injury after Figueiredo put his knee in a 50/50 position with sandhagen on the floor and eats 'Sandman' while he grinned with pain.
It was not your regular TKO, but Sandhagen had returned to the Win -Kolom, to return from a decision loss to the subsequently undefeated Umar Nurmagomedov last August to restore itself in the title mix at 135LBS with the champion who made notice.
Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC
Cory Sandhagen claims that he deserves a title shot about Petr Yan
The line for a bantamweight title shot can be longer if top candidates wait for the result of Merab Dvalishvili vs. Sean O'Malley 2 on UFC 316 on June 7.
In addition to Sandhagen, former champion Petr Yan is the only hunter in the top 5 who comes from a victory.
The #2-ranging Yan made it back-to-back victories last year by beating Song Yadong and the aforementioned Figueiredo. Yan also has an earlier title victory at Sandhagen from 2021.
“I think I will earn the next title shot, anyway,” Sandhagen said at the press conference after the fight.
“I mean, who else is there?
“Ummar fought just before the belt, lost. Yan comes from a victory, but also lost from both boys who fight. So I don't know how exciting that would be …
“I finished Figgy in one and a half one and a half.
“I showed that I am better. I have shown that I am the best man, and I deserve to be the next,” Sandhagen added.
Cory Sandhagen gave Petr Yan one of his toughest fights in the short term
Sandhagen, planned for five rounds in its last nine fights, still has to fight for the undisputed title.
Winner of four of his last five attacks, one of Sandhagen's most recent losses came to Petr Yan in an interim title fight in the Co-Main event of UFC 267.
Sandhagen filled in for Aljamain Sterling in the short term after he withdrew, giving Yan a hell of a fight in Abu Dhabi.
Sandhagen had a strong start against Yan and took the first round and part of the second also catching up with Yan in the later rounds in what was a competitive fight.
Yan dropped Sandhagen once in 25 minutes and while the Russian was overray by twenty strikes, Yan's damage and figures were enough to win him four rounds on the jury's scorecards.
Not a bad night for a Sandhagen after a shorter training camp for Yan, who looked his vintage himself in the striking department. The two earned 'Fight of the Night' Honors, each with a $ 50,000 bonus.
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