Cory "The Sandman" Sandhagen is one of the biggest mixed martial arts stars of today, fighting in the Ultimate Fighting Championship's bantamweight division (135 lbs). He was born on April 20, 1992, in Aurora, Colorado, and is recognized for having a technical and versatile striking style. Starting in 2010 at High Altitude Martial Arts in Aurora, Sandhagen embarked on his martial arts journey, and since then being committed to mastering different forms of combat sports.
He made his UFC debut back on January 27, 2018, securing a second-round stoppage victory over Austin Arnett. Since then, he has tallied quite a record with wins over the likes of Marlon Moraes, Frankie Edgar, and Marlon Vera. As of August 2024, Sandhagen now holds a professional MMA record with 17 wins against 4 losses, where 7 of them come by knockout and 3 by submission. He has been able to achieve several performance bonuses and has always remained among the bantamweight fighters' top ranks. Apart from fighting, Sandhagen is a teaching enthusiast and developed courses addressing striking and footwork in MMA, kickboxing, and self-defense.
Cory Sandhagen Fighting Style
Cory Sandhagen utilizes a dynamic and versatile fighting style. He is one of the most creative strikers in the bantamweight division, with fluid footwork and a high fight IQ inside the octagon. Sandhagen is really good at striking with Muay Thai, kickboxing, and traditional boxing in his arsenal. He is nearly always switching stances, this further layers an element of surprise in his game because opponents cannot truly predict the patterns that come from him. One of the most outstanding knockouts by Sandhagen was against Frankie Edgar, just 28 seconds into the fight, where he made perfect use of the flying knee to show his timing and power.
Sandhagen's versatility extends even to his clinch and ground fighting. He's basically a striker but has displayed good wrestling and ground game, as seen in his submission victories, including his armbar choke win over Mario Bautista.
Cory Sandhagen Knockouts
As of August 2024, Cory Sandhagen has seven knockouts to his name with his most popular KO coming against Frankie Edgar. He secured victory with a first-round knockout using a flying knee, which earned him the Performance of the Night award.
FAQs on Cory Sandhagen's fighting style
A. Cory Sandhagen's fighting style is versatile, but he is primarily considered a striker.
A. Cory Sandhagen has a diverse skillset but his primary strength lies in striking over wrestling.
A. Cory Sandhagen holds a professional MMA record of 17 wins and 4 losses (17-4-0).
A. Cory Sandhagen is scheduled to fight Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC Fight Night: Abu Dhabi on August 3, 2024.
