News Cory Sandhagen vs Umar Nurmagomedov set to headline UFC Abu Dhabi on August 3

[Koala]

No, Umar only wanted the top fighters and none of them wanted to fight an unranked guy as that would have done nothing for them.

Ricky Simon? Figgy? Dom Cruz?
Every fighter calls out the fighters above. Dvalishvili called out Nurmagomedov when he was a nobody and dismissed him after last Nurmagomedov's fight when Merab was a top contender

 

[JoeRowe]

Sherdog: Umar hasn’t fought anyone

Vegas: we’re making Umar a -300 favorite vs Sandhagen

I hope he balloons up to -600 like Petrino last week

 

[Only Here for Attachments]

I thought Cory wasn't going to give Umar any advantages by fighting in Abu Dhabi?

 

[PEDRO IVO RUSSO MIRANDA]

There is no hype for Sandhagen, plus his last fight was boring wasn’t so exciting.

you have to look at the champion at Bantmaneeight at the moment, they aren’t going to match O’Malley with a someone who just had a boring forgettable bout

OK, what part of chito vera is different of it?

 

[BJJ4Tone]

Love that Umar is 9th while having beaten absolutely no one ranked lol

It probably has more to do with the fact that everyone else in the division is losing fights more than it does with Umar winning fights.
It does seem weird that he'd be #9, but when I look at the rankings, I don't see anyone behind him that I'd necessarily put ahead of him.

 

[HuskySamoan]

Hard for me to see Sandhagen stop Umar's wrestling, but maybe I'm wrong.

It's really hard for me too, Umar moved to Mahachkala when he was 15 to live and train full time under Abdulmanap. Dudes a combat Sambo world champ. He's physically bigger, strong and has a lower center of gravity. Dudes top control seems really strong too. Cory is a long, lanky dude who's weakness has always been takedown defense, he's been focusing on it a ton and has shown improved offensive wrestling but he hasn't really been tested defensively since Aljo. Just hard for me to believe such a gap can be bridged personally, but maybe he can test Umars cardio.

 

[Poirierfan]

Sandhagen all day in this one.

 

[Poirierfan]

Love this fight. Can't wait to see it. Umar will shut up a lot of doubters.

AV bet? I'm good a losing them btw.

 

[Poirierfan]

There is no hype for Sandhagen, plus his last fight was boring wasn’t so exciting.

you have to look at the champion at Bantmaneeight at the moment, they aren’t going to match O’Malley with a someone who just had a boring forgettable bout, that is why Vera got the shot before Sandhagen plus given Vera & O’Malleys history it was a easy bout to book.

If Sandhagen wants a shot at the title he needs to not be boring and try something for people yo want him to get a shot.

Holloway, at UFC 300 with a great performance just surpassed everyone aside from Arman at LW. Just one GREAT MEMORABLE PERFOMANCE

The UFC is all performances based, it’s obvious.

Fighters like Sandhagen are doing themselves a disservice by just winning without leaving something memorable or a great performance. He needs to leave a stamp against Umar that leaves no one to doubt he’s next after Merab.

I’m not going to fighter bash, but most fighters nowadays are just being *, They believe just winning will get them the recognition, Sandhagen needs to do something to stand out from the other cookie cutter fighters. Otherwise Jose Aldo will probably get a shot before him at this poi)t

I think Sandhagen was genuinely hurt in his last fight, he even said so himself (that's why he wrestled). I tend to believe him given that he normally doesn't wrestle at all and seems like a standup guy.

 

[The_Renaissance]

Amazing fight. Think Umar takes it.

 

[TempleoftheDog]

So is the UFC going to the UAE in August, and October?

Good fight. Picking and cheering for Sandhagen.

 

[moosaev]

Love that Umar is 9th while having beaten absolutely no one ranked lol. That last name of his is really doing work.

Hope Cory flogs this whiney, entitled crotch diver.

What was Sean O'malley ranked when he got the shot at Petr Yan?

 

[moosaev]

Sherdog: Umar hasn’t fought anyone

Vegas: we’re making Umar a -300 favorite vs Sandhagen

Well, sherdog never learns

The argument was that Islam didn't fight anyone and fans cried when he was a big betting favorite against Oliveira. They also cried (but less so) that Arman was favored over Olives. Keeps happening again and again.

 

[JKS]

Cory will spank him

 

[Krixes]

Cory is a true martial artist. This dude will fight anyone. With his improved grappling, I'm expecting a war.

 

[USA!USA!]

Man that sucks for Sandhagen. Being ranked 2 and having to fight someone barely in the top 10. Overseas in enemy territory too. Respect.

 

[TheGreenMachine]

I'm surprised people are giving Sandhagen such a chance lol. Don't think he will ever be champ in this division. He always loses to the top contenders (Yan, Dillashaw, Alijmain), and had close decision wins against Marlon and Lineker. He's also training with Ryan Hall which won't help out his wrestling much which he is going to need against Umar.

 

[flektarn]

had close decision wins against Marlon

You're not serious right?

 

[TempleoftheDog]

Cory continues to prove he's a bad ass, fighting down the rankings, giving anyone a shot and letting them prove their worth. I know a lot of clowns want to give him shit for his performance against Font where he primarily grappled, but he tore his tricep and still found a way to win, idiots be damned. This is a tough fight for him.

All respect to Sandhagen. He wants to prove he’s the best. And he’ll fight anyone to prove it. Beating Umar would be a feather in his cap. No matter what Umar’s ranking is, imo.

 

[Cowboy Kurt Angle]

Before everyone gets mad Sandhagen has wanted this fight for a while he wanted Umar during international fight week this year, it’s not different then BSD Steve Erecg getting to fight all the way up the rankings