“Umar Punked You!” Cory Sandhagen Vowing to Stop Merab Dvalishvili’s Wrestling Gets Reality Check

UFC bantamweight title challenger Cory Sandhagen discusses his ability to take on Merab Dvalishvili's wrestling at UFC 320.

“Umar Punked You!” Cory Sandhagen Vowing to Stop Merab Dvalishvili’s Wrestling Gets Reality Check

Cory Sandhagen believes he can beat Merab Dvalishvili's wrestling threat (via X)

🔍 Explore this post with:

ChatGPTPerplexityGrok AIGoogle AI

Merab Dvalishvili is set to defend his bantamweight title against Cory Sandhagen at the co-main event of UFC 320. The fight will take place inside the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, and it is the Georgian’s third outing of 2025. Going into the bout, the reigning 135lbs kingpin is the clear betting favorite, but the top contender is confident about his chances. 

Dvalishvili has earned a reputation for his relentless wrestling and abnormal cardio, overwhelming opponents with pressure for five rounds. His suffocating style prevents rivals from regaining rhythm or confidence, forcing them into constant defense. Meanwhile, Sandhagen, coached under the sharp guidance of Trevor Whitman, insists he has the necessary skills to neutralize that.

My wrestling has come far enough. You are not going to punk me in wrestling. I’m not going to get tired. 

Cory Sandhagen via MMA Fighting 

Sandhagen, in his last bout, secured a big win against former 2-time flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo, bouncing back strong from a previous loss against Umar Nurmagomedov. Moreover, Sandhagen had struggled throughout, both on his feet and on the ground against the Dagestani. This wasn’t the case when the Georgian faced Nurmagomedov at UFC 311.

‘Sandman’ strongly believes he can secure victory against Dvalishvili, relying confidently on his sharp striking skills and effective wrestling. His coach has promised fans a surprising strategy, something completely unique, never previously attempted against the relentless Georgian. Sandhagen is already envisioning defending the title next, possibly against Nurmagomedov or Sean O’Malley.

On the other hand, Dvalishvili is unconcerned about Sandhagen’s threats ahead of their title clash. The Georgian champion has already defended his title twice this year, dominating and convincingly defeating both O’Malley and Nurmagomedov. He stands as the most active reigning champion on the entire roster, already planning for a potential fourth appearance against Petr Yan later in the year.

Generally, depending on unanimous decision victories, in his last bout, ‘The Machine’ got a submission win against ‘Suga’ at UFC 316. His coach has already warned that Dvalishvili will unleash a new and dangerous version of himself against Sandhagen. According to the champion, he’s looking forward to getting a knockout victory and believes most of the fight will take place on the feet.

Fight fans react to Cory Sandhagen’s latest claims ahead of the Merab Dvalishvili fight 

Merab Dvalishvili has successfully established himself as one of the most dominant bantamweights of all time, relentlessly overwhelming every opponent. Throughout his title run, he dominated veterans like Henry Cejudo, Petr Yan, and Jose Aldo. With his third successful title defence, Dvalishvili will match Aljamain Sterling and Dominick Cruz, achieving the record for the most bantamweight defences.  

Merab Dvalishvili vs. Cory Sandhagen at UFC 320
Merab Dvalishvili vs. Cory Sandhagen at UFC 320 (via X)

At the age of 34, the Georgian has the undeniable potential needed to become the undisputed bantamweight GOAT. According to his coach, John Wood, the fighter has the qualities necessary to become this generation’s version of Georges St-Pierre.  On top of that, the Georgian knows exactly how to market himself, especially with his unique charm and friendly personality everywhere.  

He is renowned for relentlessly training hard and frequently doing unexpected, weird activities such as boldly diving into a frozen lake. However, for this coming weekend, the determined Dvalishvili is planning to beat Sandhagen and further extend his legacy decisively. Nevertheless, here are some reactions to Sandhagen’s latest comments on the bantamweight champion.

As expected, many fans reminded Sandhagen of how he was completely dominated by Umar Nurmagomedov last year.  Others mentioned how relentless Merab Dvalishvili can truly be, shooting multiple takedowns repeatedly just to overwhelm and exhaust his opponents.  As many fans predicted, the 18-5 fighter has only a very slim chance of winning, but it still remains possible.

Also read: