Dana White alerted about electric rematch as Cory Sandhagen vows to settle doubts against Petr Yan 

Top UFC bantamweight contender Cory Sandhagen gets into a back-and-forth with former champion Petr Yan.

Dana White alerted about electric rematch as Cory Sandhagen vows to settle doubts against Petr Yan 

Cory Sandhagen and Petr Yan to fight in a title eliminator (via Imago/X)

The UFC bantamweight division stands out as thrilling and unpredictable, featuring elite talent and top contenders. The division is currently ruled by Merab Dvalishvili, who looks invincible with relentless pressure and unmatched cardio inside the octagon. Top contenders like Cory Sandhagen and Petr Yan are eager to get their hands on the title, resulting in potential high-stakes rematches.

Sandhagen recently clashed with Deiveson Figueiredo in a highly anticipated bantamweight showdown at UFC Des Moines. The ‘Sandman’ secured a TKO victory after Figueiredo suffered a knee injury during the second round, forcing an unfortunate stoppage. After the win, Sandhagen passionately demanded a title shot, insisting no contender in the division deserves it more than him.

However, the fighter met his resistance when former bantamweight champion Yan called him out for the title eliminator. The Russian is currently on a two-fight win streak and has already beaten Sandhagen at UFC 267. However, Sandhagen mentioned that it was a short-notice fight, and since 2021, he has developed a lot as a fighter. 

I’m not gonna commit to that until after the title fight. I’m not opposed to fight Yan, I would love to to fight especially because he likes kinda spread this narrative – ‘you know what what happened last time we fought.’ I only had a month to prepare for him and not to mention that I was winning that fight all the way up until I got hit with that crazy spinning weird s**t.

Cory Sandhagen via The Ariel Helwani Show

Sandhagen taunted Yan by referencing his consecutive defeats to Sean O’Malley and Merab Dvalishvili, damaging Yan’s credibility. O’Malley is now preparing for a high-stakes title rematch against the relentless ‘Machine’ at UFC 316’s main event. Although currently fixated on that upcoming clash, Sandhagen remains open to facing Yan afterward if the opportunity presents itself.

Cory Sandhagen predicts Sean O’Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili

The upcoming bantamweight title fight between Sean O’Malley and Merab Dvalishvili is something that many experts have strongly protested. In the first bout, the ‘Machine’ absolutely demolished ‘Suga’ and easily won the fight via a clear unanimous decision. According to the former champion, a serious groin injury affected his overall performance, and that problem definitely won’t happen at UFC 316.

Sean O'Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 316
Sean O’Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 316 (via X)

While Dvalishvili will be the fan favorite to win the bout, O’Malley does have a great opportunity due to his punching power. Cory Sandhagen will take a closer look at the fight as he believes he would be the next in line. He recently mentioned that his fighting anybody from the pair would be a massive event in comparison to any other top contender. 

I think if O’Malley wins, a lot of [fans] are going to be asking for me and O’Malley. So that will be something that I’m certainly anticipating… I think on-paper, what’s going to do better for sales and who’s going to get more viewership, me and O’Malley and me and Merab is going to do way better than the only other guy in the conversation, who is Yan. Yan already lost to O’Malley and he already lost to Merab.

Cory Sandhagen via The Ariel Helwani Show 

With a win at UFC 316, Merab Dvalishvili will get his second title defence and will further boost his legacy. However, this time, many want the fighter to get a finish, something that has been missing from his record. On the other hand, O’Malley could be the quintessential superstar champion who can give fans what they want.