At UFC Abu Dhabi, Cory Sandhagen missed a long-standing title fight opportunity, facing a setback after losing to Umar Nurmagomedov. The winner of this bout was expected to earn a title shot, and Umar came out on top. Despite the loss, the 32-year-old fighter is now focused on making a strong comeback, targeting a fight against Sean O’Malley.
Sandhagen views a potential fight with former bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley as a clear choice. ‘The Sandman’ has no interest in fighting lower-ranked opponents in the UFC bantamweight division and views O’Malley as his only viable option. However, O’Malley recently lost his title to Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 306 and is currently sidelined with a hip injury. Despite this, Sandhagen is willing to wait for the former champion to recover. In an interview with Michael Bisping, Sandhagen stated:
“I feel like O’Malley is the only fight. Maybe the winner of Yan and Figgy. If O’Malley is going to be weird and still not bring me up or mention that fight or anything like that. So yeah, that’s what I’m looking at.”
The 32-year-old fighter called a matchup with O’Malley a “banger.” Sandhagen also revealed that the UFC offered him a fight with Deiveson Figueiredo in late 2024, but Figueiredo turned it down. Now, the UFC is trying to schedule Figueiredo vs. Petr Yan. While Sandhagen’s fight with O’Malley isn’t finalized, O’Malley is targeting a rematch with Merab Dvalishvili.
Sean O’Malley Claims Undefeated Status In Pink Shorts
O’Malley’s bantamweight title reign came to an abrupt end after a unanimous decision loss to Merab Dvalishvili at the Las Vegas Sphere. Despite the outcome, ‘Suga’ believes the judges got it wrong. After reviewing the fight for the first time, he argued that he should have been awarded the win, insisting he secured Rounds 1, 3, and 5.
On Instagram, O’Malley shared several images from UFC 306, with a caption, “Undefeated in rematches. undefeated in pink shorts. undefeated in Miami undefeated in March. F**k Merab.”
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Despite his recent setback, potential opponents are eyeing O’Malley for a matchup with Sandhagen, even if a title shot isn’t immediately on the table. With both fighters coming off losses, the bout promises to be an exciting showdown if it materializes. Fans could see this clash happen in 2025.
Also Read: Fans Mistake Female Boxer For Sean O’Malley Thanks To Her Pink Hair And Striking Look
