"It was a tough sell" - Cory Sandhagen claims he "played ball" with UFC over planned Umar Nurmagomedov fight, reveals if they are fighting next

Umar Nurmagomedov recently announced that he has an opponent after months of frustration with not finding a potential suitor.

The budding bantamweight star holds a four-fight unbeaten streak in the UFC and an overall record of 16-0. He has complained on several occasions in the past that no one in the 135-pound division wants to fight him, but he recently took to X to share the following:

No. 4-ranked bantamweight Cory Sandhagen had previously agreed to face Nurmagomedov at UFC Nashville in August 2023. The Dagestani was forced to withdraw from the bout due to a shoulder injury.

Following his recent announcement, fans wondered if Nurmagomedov would be matched up against 'The Sandman' for a second time.

Sandhagen was recently interviewed by Ariel Helwani, who asked him if he was the fighter Umar Nurmagomedov was referring to. He said this:

"I actually didn't know he had a fight scheduled, it's not against me. I don't know who it's against. The Umar one was a bit of a tough one because I do feel like I was playing ball for the UFC by giving him a shot when he's only four fights into his career. The guy pulls out of more fights than he's been in. That's just the truth of the matter."

Sandhagen continued:

"I've been in the top five for the last three or four years of my career, and Umar is just kind of entering in, and I'm on a three-fight win streak. So it was a tough sell."

Watch the video below from 12:15:

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Umar Nurmagomedov's bond with cousin Khabib praised by coach Javier Mendez

The bond that Umar Nurmagomedov and his brother, Usman, share with their cousin, Khabib Nurmagomedov, is unlike anything that Javier Mendez has seen before.

Mendez is the founder and head coach of American Kickboxing Academy, where the Nurmagomedovs have trained for over a decade.

'The Eagle' retired from competition in 2020, but has remained heavily involved in the training routines of his close friends and family, such as Islam Makhachev.

During a recent Instagram post, Javier Mendez detailed the unique bond shared between Umar Nurmagomedov, his brother Usman, and the former lightweight champion:

"This is why these 3 are a family of Champions. The competitive nature and a fun they have. I’m have never seen this as a Coach from any others that I have trained that were family blood related. @khabib_nurmagomedov @usman_nurmagomedov @umar_nurmagomedov champions in life and sport. My heart and family of 🦅🦅🦅 no chickens allowed"

See the post below: