Cory Sandhagen returns this weekend to face Rob Font in the main event at UFC Nashville. Here we take a look at the skill set and career of one of the best fighters in the UFC’s deepest division.
The Cory Sandhagen Show
Sandhagen has always been a joy to watch since his introduction into the UFC back in 2018. Over the years, his game has developed rapidly to the point where he has become a serious title contender. In his nine UFC wins, he has six finishes including stunning knockouts over Frankie Edgar and Marlon Moraes. In his last outing, Sandhagen stifled the dangerous Marlon Vera and showed how much his fight IQ has increased. He mixed his striking with effective wrestling and his constant movement kept Vera guessing all night.
The Dangerous Skill Set of Sandhagen
Sandhagen can be a clinical finisher – his flying knee against Edgar and spinning wheel kick versus Moraes are prime examples of this. He disarmed Song Yadong by shooting for takedowns which made Yadong constantly think about his defensive wrestling instead of firing powerful punches. Sandhagen gradually accumulated damage over four rounds until the fight was stopped before the fifth, giving him the TKO victory.
One of many skills honed by Sandhagen in his UFC career is his wrestling and grappling. He has become an all-round great fighter displaying dominant top control at times which is making a difference in his pursuit for a title. He mixes up his attacks, changing stances and angles on a regular basis leaving opponents unsure of where his next attack is coming from. His striking defence has also improved and he works well on the outside from range.
Sandhagen takes an intelligent approach when it comes to his fights. His submission loss to Aljamain Sterling was a wake-up call, and he has learnt lessons from the T.J. Dillashaw and Petr Yan defeats (both close, entertaining fights).
He has an uncanny ability to change the momentum of a fight and get the pendulum to swing back towards him if his opponent picks up the pace. He is one of the most feared fighters in the bantamweight division and will fight on his terms.
UFC Nashville: Cory Sandhagen vs. Rob Font
Sandhagen had originally been paired up with Umar Nurmagomedov on this card. Nurmagomedov withdrew due to an injury and with Font the new opponent, this has become a striker-against-striker matchup. This will suit Sandhagen better as he no longer faces the grappling and submission threat he was preparing for in Nurmagomedov.
‘The Sandman’ will have to be careful of Font’s solid fundamental boxing skills. He moves into range well with good footwork, his setups are clever and he has fast hands. However, Sandhagen’s versatile style might be difficult for Font to deal with on the night because Font will need to constantly make adjustments. This could make him tentative and lead to him being picked apart by the variety of Sandhagen.
There is a high chance we could see another diverse masterclass from Cory Sandhagen at UFC Nashville this weekend.
Featured image credits to Embed from Getty Images
