Cory Sandhagen
Vitals
The Read
Cory Sandhagen is a rangy, switch-stance kickboxer out of Colorado with some of the most creative striking at 135 pounds — spinning attacks, a flying knee that flatlined Frankie Edgar, and the footwork to fight long. Eight of his 18 wins are knockouts.
Twice he has come up just short of gold: an interim-title decision loss to Petr Yan in 2021 and a five-round decision to Merab Dvalishvili in 2025. Still ranked at the top of the division, he meets Mario Bautista in a rematch of Bautista's 2019 debut — a fight Sandhagen won by first-round submission.
Next Fight
Record
Tap any fight for the breakdown.
Loss
vs Merab DvalishviliDecision (unanimous) · R5
UFC 320
4 Oct 2025
4 Oct 2025
A bantamweight title challenge that became a grappling clinic: Dvalishvili scored a reported UFC-record number of takedowns and controlled all five rounds for a wide unanimous decision, halting Sandhagen's momentum.
Key moments
- Dvalishvili's relentless wrestling set a UFC takedown record.
- Sandhagen found no answer to the takedown pace.
- Swept the scorecards across five rounds.
- Sandhagen's second title-fight defeat.
Win
vs Deiveson FigueiredoTKO (knee injury) · R2 4:08
UFC Des Moines
3 May 2025
3 May 2025
Sandhagen was dominating — landing 31 significant strikes to two in the round — when a scramble left Figueiredo's knee unable to continue, ending the fight via TKO late in round two.
Key moments
- Out-landed Figueiredo 31-to-2 in the round.
- A scramble injured Figueiredo's left knee.
- Waved off at 4:08 of round two.
- A statement win in a headliner.
Loss
vs Umar NurmagomedovDecision (unanimous) · R5
UFC Abu Dhabi
3 Aug 2024
3 Aug 2024
Sandhagen was out-pointed across 25 minutes in his main event; Umar Nurmagomedov controlled distance and grappling to take a clear decision, one judge scoring a 50-45 shutout.
Key moments
- Umar controlled range and grappling throughout.
- One judge turned in a 50-45 card.
- Sandhagen never found a sustained rhythm.
- The win earned Umar a title call-out.
Win
vs Rob FontDecision (unanimous) · R5
UFC Nashville
5 Aug 2023
5 Aug 2023
A one-sided, wrestling-heavy decision in which Sandhagen swept all three cards 50-45, mixing in mat control to neutralise Font's boxing.
Key moments
- Swept all three cards 50-45.
- Heavy stretches of mat control.
- Neutralised Font's boxing.
- Extended his win streak to three.
Win
vs Marlon VeraDecision (split) · R5
UFC San Antonio
25 Mar 2023
25 Mar 2023
Statistically dominant despite a split verdict — Sandhagen out-landed Vera by a wide margin and added takedowns, though one judge controversially scored it for Vera.
Key moments
- Out-landed Vera by a wide significant-strike margin.
- Added three takedowns.
- One judge controversially had Vera.
- Took the split decision in a five-round main event.