Cory Sandhagen doesn’t reside previously, however he can’t assist feeling regrets about how his most up-to-date struggle in opposition to Umar Nurmagomedov performed out.
He finally misplaced a unanimous resolution to the embellished Russian bantamweight, and as a lot as Sandhagen credit Nurmagomedov for a job properly carried out, he additionally blames the person within the mirror for what went fallacious that evening. In his opinion, Sandhagen believes he basically overthought his recreation plan and technique reasonably than simply reacting to what was taking place within the octagon that evening.
“The me and Umar struggle, I really feel like frustration misplaced me that struggle a bit bit,” Sandhagen defined when chatting with MMA Preventing. “I form of went in with the framework, and with the attitude, that he was going to be very onerous to hit. As a substitute of simply being like ‘Oh that’s one thing to anticipate,’ it pissed off me extra as a result of I used to be like, however I’ve educated so onerous with a view to make it so I can hit a tough man and because it’s nonetheless not working, it’s making me pissed off. It form of spiraled from there.
“I believe any time that you simply get away out of your true, pure manner of profitable, issues often don’t go properly in opposition to the highest guys on the earth. I believe I form of overcorrected in that struggle in that I knew that the purpose scoring was going to be shut. I do know that if anybody takes me down on the earth, I can arise. I’m assured in [that]. So I knew that was going to form of cancel one another out. I knew that quite a lot of the struggle was going to be decided by who landed the extra vital photographs, a minimum of that’s what I believed that it might be.”
Sandhagen is aware of that he didn’t interact with Nurmagomedov in a manner that will permit him to grab on openings that have been introduced in the course of the struggle, which value him in the long run.
“The place I ought to have simply run my regular recreation plan of excellent martial arts till they make a mistake after which leap on them as a substitute of half-good martial arts and forcing issues that aren’t there,” Sandhagen mentioned. “As a result of forcing issues that aren’t there in opposition to good guys simply flat out doesn’t work. So frustration form of misplaced me that one.
“I’m nonetheless kicking myself within the butt as a result of once I watch that, as a result of even thought it was scored 4 [rounds] to 1 or one thing like that, all of these rounds have been actually shut. If I may have simply carried out a few issues in a different way, I’d have gained. That’s the story of mine. I’m actually good at virtually profitable these fights so I’ve bought to determine find out how to truly get these shut rounds bagged. That’s what I’ve been engaged on.”
If there’s one constructive to return away from such a unfavorable loss, it’s that Sandhagen has taken upon himself to make sure he doesn’t find yourself with one other consequence like that on his resume.
He’s booked to face Deiveson Figueiredo within the UFC Des Moines major occasion on Might 3, and Sandhagen guarantees there’s no holding again on this struggle.
“I believe that I’m actually going to problem myself to exit and put a stamp on this factor,” Sandhagen mentioned. “I’ve been coaching to dominate folks. I educated my ass off in between the 2 fights with Trevor [Wittman], driving all the best way as much as Golden to go to his health club to work with him after which actually dialing in quite a lot of the grappling stuff that I’ve been doing with my wrestling coach after which with my jiu-jitsu coach.
“I really feel like quite a lot of issues have actually come collectively as a result of I’ve been busting my ass as a result of I f*cking hate dropping. I’m tremendous stoked to go on the market and actually be capable to shine.”
The best way Sandhagen feels going into his upcoming struggle is that he hasn’t actually placed on a very memorable efficiency in a few years, which is clearly disappointing.
That solely provides gas to the fireplace with regards to Sandhagen’s want to essentially placed on a present in opposition to Figueiredo and erase some dangerous reminiscences from latest performances.
“I haven’t had a very good win in a extremely very long time,” Sandhagen mentioned. “My final win was [against Rob Font] once I tore my tricep and everybody shit on me for it. Earlier than that it was Chito [Vera], and my ego misses the sensation of being the person for a few weeks on the earth of MMA. I’m hoping to get that again for a minimum of a bit bit.”
As if he wanted any extra motivation, Sandhagen is aware of his struggle takes place virtually precisely one month previous to the bantamweight title rematch between Merab Dvalishvili and Sean O’Malley. If he’s capable of do what he’s planning on doing, Sandhagen expects that serves discover to the UFC that he’s the subsequent man up for the title shot.
“I can’t let you know how excited I’m,” Sandhagen mentioned. “I simply actually need to shine, and I believe that I’m a ok performer now the place I can actually simply exit and do my rattling factor now. I’m not going to let something cease me on this one. I’m positively I believe I’m going to have the ability to end Figueiredo. I believe that I’m going to indicate up the most effective model that I’ve ever been.
“I believe that I’m going to appear to be an actual champion in there to the purpose the place the UFC goes to have to offer me a shot after this one, simply with how spectacular I plan on wanting. I’m pumped.”
