Umar Nurmagomedov claims Cory Sandhagen is bigger challenge than champion Sean O’Malley

Umar Nurmagomedov sees Cory Sandhagen as a tougher fight than Sean O'Malley. The Dagestani fighter points out grappling as the weaker side of the current bantamweight champion.

Umar Nurmagomedov claims Cory Sandhagen is bigger challenge than champion Sean O’Malley

Umar Nurmagomedov weighs in on the better option between Cory Sandhagen and Sean O'Malley (Source: IMAGO/Instagram)

Umar Nurmagomedov is an undefeated staple within the bantamweight roster. Standing at a sturdy 16-0 MMA, 4-0 UFC stat, the fighter remains confident about beating anyone. However, he considers Cory Sandhagen as a good stylistic matchup; even more so than current champ Sean O’Malley.

Cory Sandhagen was set to lock horns with Nurmagomedov in the UFC on ESPN 50 headliner. When lightweight legend Khabib Nurmagomedov‘s cousin pulled out due to an injury, he faced Rob Font and dominated him with wrestling. Now, Sandhagen remains open to rebooking the fight. This is what Umar said about the matchup:

I think one of the hard fights in my division, it’s Cory...Nobody fights like Cory. He’s talented, he has very good technique, and I like this. It’s big challenge for me. I want to fight – if I will choose, of course I want to fight with Cory...... Yes, I think it’s more hard than even O’Malley because Cory, it’s very difficult. His IQ is very high level I think.
Umar Nurmagomedov via ESPN MMA’s Brett Okamoto
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Umar Nurmagomedov talked about Sandhagen with ESPN MMA’s Brett Okamoto. Defeating newbie Bekzat Almakhan at UFC Vegas 87, he sounded off on his previously scrapped match with Sandhagen. Meanwhile, UFC 298’s post-fight presser saw Dana White push Merab Dvalishvili next for the champion. Cory Sandhagen is thus out of the title contention picture for now.

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Sandhagen has thus verbally agreed to a matchup, given it has the #1 contender’s spot implications. The ‘Young Eagle’ believes in his ability to maul all current mainstays in the division. He considered ‘The Sandman’ to have better acumen than Sean O’Malley. Despite O’Malley’s dominant maiden defense, Umar considered Sandhagen a better challenge.

Umar Nurmagomedov weighs in on Sean O’Malley vs. Chito Vera II

Umar Nurmagomedov has an incredible fighting style that consists of good striking and excellent grappling skills. As such, ‘Young Eagle’ gave his take on the fighting styles of Sean O’Malley and Marlon ‘Chito’ Vera.

Umar Nurmagomedov thinks Sean O'Malley has better striking acumen than grappling
Umar Nurmagomedov thinks Sean O’Malley has better striking acumen than grappling (Source: UFC.go.com)

Umar analyzed the fight between O’Malley and Chito. This is what he said:

I told before fight, like in my press conference that it was gonna be like that... Chito - he beginning to fight later, in last rounds trying to do something... When I saw his fight (Sean O'Malley) with Petr Yan and Petr Yan take him down, I understand he’s not high-level wrestler and he don’t have some defense.
Umar Nurmagomedov via ESPN MMA’s Brett Okamoto

Umar Nurmagomedov is opinionated that Chito Vera started dominantly positioning himself too little too late in the 5-round title matchup. The ‘Young Eagle’ scouted O’Malley for a future matchup. He felt O’Malley did not have high-level wrestling. Umar Nurmagomedov cited O’Malley vs. Petr Yan to suggest how well he matched up with O’Malley.

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