Cory Sandhagen Accuses Sean O’Malley of ‘Ducking’ After Latest White House Announcement

#4-ranked bantamweight Cory Sandhagen once again calls out Sean O'Malley after UFC White House announcement.

Cory Sandhagen Accuses Sean O’Malley of ‘Ducking’ After Latest White House Announcement

Cory Sandhagen calls out Sean O'Malley (via MMA Fighting, MTN Sports)

In Short
  • Cory Sandhagen accuses Sean O'Malley of avoiding a fight with him after O'Malley's recent win.
  • O'Malley is set to fight Aiemann Zahabi at the UFC White House event, while Sandhagen seeks a matchup.
  • Sandhagen warns O'Malley may retire if he loses his upcoming fight, adding pressure to their potential bout.

Sean O’Malley is undoubtedly on a redemption arc after his UFC 324 win against Song Yadong, which marked a major rebound in his career. He is now scheduled to fight Aiemann Zahabi at the UFC White House event, keeping him active in the bantamweight division. However, one person who has shown offense toward that is Cory Sandhagen, who has long been advocating for a fight with O’Malley.

Sandhagen has been a mainstay in the UFC bantamweight division for several years, consistently competing against top-ranked opponents. He recently faced former champion Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 320 in a title fight. Sandhagen was dominated during the bout and ultimately lost via unanimous decision. This marked his first championship attempt in the division, leaving him just outside the title picture.

O’Malley entered his UFC 324 bout against Yadong on a two-fight skid in the bantamweight division. The unanimous decision win over Yadong quickly put him back in the spotlight. This victory earned O’Malley a spot on the UFC White House event, restoring his standing among the top three in divisional rankings. Following this, Sandhagen publicly called out ‘Suga’, claiming he was avoiding a matchup with him.

If he doesn’t win this fight, I think he’ll retire. If he doesn’t get another title run or fights for a belt again, he’s going to retire The whole ‘I was never offered to fight Sandhagen’ thing is just not how it works with the guy. Sean O’Malley gets asked who he wants next and he says. Any other answer than Cory Sandhagen is a cope out move. Me and him is the fight to make.

Cory Sandhagen via Home Of Fight

Talk of a bout between the two has existed since 2023, when ‘Sandman’ first called out O’Malley for facing lower-ranked opponents. The matchup was never booked at the time. Recently, Sandhagen stated that a fight against the former bantamweight champion at the UFC White House event would be a major draw. He also noted that the bantamweight division could benefit from the matchup taking place.

Sandhagen’s reference to O’Malley retiring if he does not win is notable, as ‘Suga’ was seriously pondering retirement before the UFC 324 bout. The Heleana native had planned for 2026 to be his final year in the sport. He revealed that he would have retired had he lost to Yadong at UFC 324. This context adds additional weight to Sandhagen’s recent callout and the discussion around a potential matchup.

Sean O’Malley is now preparing for his bout against Aiemann Zahabi at UFC Freedom Fights 250. He has also been vocal about wanting a fight with bantamweight champion Petr Yan. However, ‘Suga’ revealed that if the UFC does not arrange that matchup, he would prefer to fight either Merab Dvalishvili or Umar Nurmagomedov. This again leaves Cory Sandhagen out of a fight against Sean O’Malley.

Cory Sandhagen gets called out by rising bantamweight contender

Mario Bautista was positioned to make a name for himself as the next big contender in the UFC bantamweight division. He put together an impressive eight-fight win streak, defeating fighters such as Patchy Mix and Jose Aldo. This dominant run helped establish him as a rising star in the division. However, that momentum was halted at UFC 321 when he lost to Umar Nurmagomedov.

Cory Sandhagen
Cory Sandhagen (via MMA Fighting)

However, Bautista quickly bounced back after submitting Vinicius Oliveira in the second round of their bout in February 2026. Following that victory, Song Yadong called out Bautista for a potential matchup at UFC Macau. Despite this callout, Bautista said he would rather face Cory Sandhagen. The comments highlighted his focus on a fight with a top-ranked contender in the division.

Nahh, I want to fight Cory Sandhagen. Song Yadong can sit on that loss for a little bit.

Mario Bautista via Home Of Fight

A potential fight between Mario Bautista and Cory Sandhagen would feature two top bantamweight contenders with contrasting styles. Bautista relies on strong grappling and submission skills, while Sandhagen is known for his striking and movement inside the octagon. Scheduling and UFC matchmaking will ultimately determine if the contest takes place.

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