Exclusive: Cory Sandhagen shares unfiltered take on Merab Dvalishvili vs. Sean O'Malley title rematch, previews UFC 316 main event clash
Cory Sandhagen offered his honest take on the UFC bantamweight title rematch between Sean O’Malley and Merab Dvalishvili. While the matchup has sparked debate among MMA fans, Sandhagen believes it was the only move that made sense.
Sandhagen offered his take on the matchup in an exclusive interview with James Lynch of Sportskeeda MMA. He claimed that it makes sense for the business, and O’Malley draws numbers.
Shedding light on the bantamweight division landscape, Sandhagen said:
“I think it was the fight to make, honestly. I don’t think it’s about ‘Dana White privilege’ or anything like that. Sean just landed in a spot where there was no one else. [Petr] Yan lost to Merab pretty clearly, and Umar [Nurmagomedov] just fought for the belt and lost. Yeah, I get why people brought up Yan. He beat Song [Yadong] and beat Deiveson. But he hasn’t fought since losing to Merab, and I just think Sean brings more eyes. It's not about favoritism, it’s what’s best for business.”
He added:
“Honestly, I’m glad it’s happening. If O'Malley wins and I beat Figgy in a big way, I think the UFC will want to book me vs. him. I’m the only one in the top five who hasn’t fought Merab. That’s a strong argument.”
Check out Cory Sandhagen's exclusive interview with Sportskeeda MMA below:
Cory Sandhagen is ready to serve as backup for UFC bantamweight title clash at UFC 316
Cory Sandhagen is fully prepared to be the backup for the bantamweight title fight between Merab Dvalishvili and Sean O’Malley at UFC 316. If his bout against Deiveson Figueiredo goes as planned and he walks away unscathed, Sandhagen plans to be ready for the UFC 316 main event clash.
Sandhagen is willing to do whatever it takes to put himself next in line for the title, even if that means stepping in last-minute. Speaking about the possibility of being the backup fighter in the aforementioned exclusive interview with Sportskeeda MMA, Sandhagen said:
“Oh yeah, that’s definitely my plan. I come out of that, you know, no injuries that are going to put me out of fighting the next month, I’m definitely just going to be in the gym on Monday, training for being a backup. I think at this point, I've got to do everything that I've got to do. And I’ve never been the guy to want anything given to him. If they want me to be the backup… I’ll still be the backup just to put myself in the best position that I can. I want this damn title shot so bad.”