ABU DHABI – [autotag]Cory Sandhagen[/autotag] is motivated to prove his doubters wrong at UFC on ABC 7.
According to Bet MGM, Sandhagen (17-4 MMA, 10-3 UFC) is a +240 underdog against [autotag]Umar Nurmagomedov[/autotag] (17-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC) in Saturday’s main event (ABC, ESPN2, ESPN+) at the Etihad Arena.
Considering Nurmagomedov is much less experienced, former interim title challenger Sandhagen can’t understand why he has so many naysayers.
“Umar is a unique fighter,” Sandhagen told reporters, including MMA Junkie, at UFC on ABC 7 media day. “Stylistically, he is a very difficult fight. I had to work a lot of overtime to make sure I was prepared for this fight. give a damn.
“I’m focused on what I’m going to do on Saturday, and that’s perform under the lights, and I can’t wait for that peace because it’s weird that people are counting me out for this, but I just can’t wait to prove all these people wrong. .”
Aside from his quick submission loss to Aljamain Sterling in June 2020, Sandhagen said his takedown defense hasn’t been properly tested.
“No one has seen me fight defensively except the situation with Sterling,” Sandhagen said. “That’s what we’ll call a loss, a situation. The situation with Sterling where – and was that, four years ago? I was two years into my career. I’m six, seven years into my career now and still no one has really seen that.
“So just another element that I can show people, and man, I’m excited about this one just to show how good I am, because Umar is going to bring out the best in me, and he already has at this camp. . , and I’m excited for it, I can’t wait to see myself fight.”
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For more information on the card, visit the MMA Junkie events hub to UFC on ABC 7.
This article was originally published on MMA Junkie: Cory Sandhagen finds it ‘weird’ that people exclude him from fighting Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC on ABC 7
