EXCLUSIVE | Cory Sandhagen Dreaming Of Title Shot With TJ Dillashaw Win
UFC bantamweight contender Cory Sandhagen is looking past former champion TJ Dillashaw in his upcoming fight, but there’s no doubt that he has title aspirations and big goals for his UFC career.
Sandhagen spoke in an exclusive interview with LowKickMMA’s James Lynch and provided an insight into his life and career in MMA. He will face Dillashaw at UFC on ESPN 27 later this month at the UFC Apex in a massive fight in the bantamweight division.
Sandhagen is also open to a potential number-one contender fight with Rob Font if he can get past Dillashaw in his next fight, but has a title shot in mind in case the negotiations between the champion, Aljamain Sterling, and Petr Yan for their rematch falls through.
“Everything under the sun has crossed my mind,” Sandhagen said. “A dream possibility would be that I fight for the title right afterward. But I have no problem fighting another tough guy after TJ to help build my name value. Right now, I’m working on becoming the best athlete I can be, and gaining experience is very important to me too.”
Sandhagen is looking to win his third straight fight since his devastating first-round submission loss to Sterling at UFC 250 last summer. He has accumulated knockouts over former title challengers Frankie Edgar and Marlon Moraes since his first loss in the UFC.
Dillashaw is making his return to the UFC octagon after a two-year hiatus from competition stemming from his USADA suspension for EPO use. Before that, he was widely regarded as one of the best fighters in the world and served as the UFC bantamweight champion after upending Cody Garbrandt to earn the title, and once more in his first title defense during his second reign as the belt holder.
Sandhagen vs. Dillashaw is one of the most highly-anticipated fights of the year and an extremely important fight in the UFC’s bantamweight title picture. Both Sandhagen and Dillashaw have a lot on the line leading up to their bout at the UFC Apex.
Do you think Cory Sandhagen deserves a title shot if he beats TJ Dillashaw?
