Umar Nurmagomedov, the rising bantamweight star, faced off against Cory Sandhagen in Abu Dhabi. It was his first main event, and expectations were sky-high. But sometimes, even winning leaves a bitter taste. Nurmagomedov emerged victorious by unanimous decision. Yet, he couldn’t hide his disappointment.
Nurmagomedov talked about this in the post-fight press conference. He had envisioned a ground-and-pound masterclass that never materialized. The Dagestani native had underestimated Sandhagen’s ground game and was left disappointed.
“I’m not happy. It was a good performance on the striking, but if we’re talking about grappling and how I control him, it was not good. I thought I would maul him on the ground, but he’s tough, he’s good. Cody is too good and has hard kicks, and he’s a tough man,” said Nurmagomedov.
Umar Nurmagomedov’s frustration was palpable against Sandhagenin the Octagon, as he defended almost all takedowns and neutralized his ground game effectively. But credit where it is due, ‘The Young Eagle’ gave massive props to Sandhagen for fighting him and being such an intense challenge.
Nurmagomedov still won the fight, which was labeled as a title eliminator. His striking game showed improvement as he outworked Sandhagen over five rounds. Now, he waits for the winner of Sean O’Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili to get his shot at the coveted bantamweight title.
Cory Sandhagen Shares A Heartfelt Message After UFC Abu Dhabi Loss
Defeat can be a bitter pill to swallow for a top-ranked fighter at the cusp of a title shot. Yet, Sandhagen has shown that grace in loss after a hard-fought battle against Nurmagomedov at UFC Abu Dhabi. The ‘Sandman’ took to social media with his first message after a crushing defeat. His words were not of anger or excuses but of respect and resilience.
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Sandhagen’s statement was short but powerful. He gave props to Umar Nurmagomedov for a tough fight and praised him for his skill and determination. But Sandhagen wasn’t content with leaving it at that. He promised to keep getting better.
“Tough sport. Umar is really world class – it was an honor to fight one of the world’s best. Congrats to him. Gonna keep getting better, like I always do. Thanks for the support. I love you guys. PEACE,” wrote Sandhagen via Instagram.
Sandhagen predicted Nurmagomedov’s future success in the post-fight interview. He believes his opponent will fight for the belt next and “probably win. ‘The Sandman’ hopes that he will eventually catch Umar Nurmagomedov again and take the title from him in a rematch.
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