While Cory Sandhagen prefers not to dwell on the past, he admits to lingering feelings of regret regarding his last fight against Umar Nurmagomedov.
Sandhagen was ultimately defeated by unanimous decision by the accomplished Russian bantamweight. While acknowledging Nurmagomedov`s strong performance, Sandhagen takes personal responsibility for the outcome, believing he overanalyzed his strategy instead of fighting instinctively in the moment.
According to Sandhagen, “frustration” significantly contributed to his loss. He entered the fight expecting Nurmagomedov to be difficult to hit, but instead of just accepting this as a challenge, it frustrated him because his extensive training wasn`t immediately yielding results. He feels this frustration caused him to deviate from his natural fighting style. Sandhagen also noted he likely overcorrected his strategy based on predictions about point scoring and takedown exchanges, expecting the fight to hinge primarily on significant strikes.
Sandhagen recognizes he failed to engage with Nurmagomedov in a manner that would have allowed him to capitalize on opportunities as they arose during the bout, which ultimately cost him the victory.
He feels he should have stuck to his usual strategy of applying solid martial arts pressure until his opponent made a mistake, rather than trying to force openings that weren`t there. Sandhagen expresses self-reproach when watching the fight back, noting that despite the official scorecards (likely 4-1 in rounds), the rounds themselves were very close. He believes minor adjustments could have changed the outcome. He identifies a pattern in his career of being “really good at almost winning” and is now focused on securing those close rounds.
Despite the negative experience of the loss, Sandhagen finds a positive in his commitment to preventing similar outcomes in future fights.
His next challenge is headlining UFC Des Moines on May 3 against Deiveson Figueiredo, a fight where Sandhagen vows to fight without reservation.
Sandhagen is determined to “put a stamp” on the fight against Figueiredo, aiming for a dominant performance. He highlights intense training focused on grappling, wrestling, and overall dominance, driven by his strong dislike for losing. He admits he hasn`t had a truly memorable win in a while, citing the controversial Font fight and the prior Vera fight. This lack of impactful wins fuels his desire to shine against Figueiredo and reclaim a sense of dominance.
Adding to his motivation, Sandhagen notes his fight occurs roughly a month before the bantamweight title rematch between Merab Dvalishvili and Sean O’Malley. He believes a successful and impressive performance against Figueiredo will position him as the clear next contender for the title.
Expressing strong excitement, Sandhagen feels he has developed into a capable performer ready to execute his plan without hindrance. He confidently predicts he can finish Figueiredo and deliver the best performance of his career. Sandhagen is “pumped” about the prospect of looking like a true champion in the octagon and believes his planned impressive showing will compel the UFC to grant him a title opportunity next.
Marcus Blakely 
Wesley Dunham