Cory Sandhagen Strives for Triumph at UFC Fight Night, Targets Bantamweight Supremacy & PLE Recognition

UFC Fighter Cory Sandhagen is a man on a mission as he intends to reclaim glory and take what's His: The top spot in the bantamweight division. The American fighter will be in the main event spotlight of UFC Des Moines in Iowa when he battles the Brazilian MMA fighter Deiveson Figueiredo. The challenge will be immense, but ‘Sandman’ is geared up to do whatever it takes.

The Cory Sandhagen Exclusive: Sandman Aspires To Conquer Bantamweight Division, Eyes UFC 316 And Cherishes Indian Food

Republic World had  an exclusive interaction with UFC bantamweight fighter Cory Sandhagen, ahead of his scheduled fight against Deiveson Figueiredo at UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs Figueiredo at the Wells Fargo Arena. We touched upon a couple of subjects regarding training camp and his mindset. We also got his thoughts on the upcoming bantamweight title clash at UFC 316. He also expressed his thoughts on following Kobe Bryant and his fondness for Indian food and the no-nonsense approach during fights, which makes him a pure standout.

The following are quotes taken from the interview:

Q1: Corey, How's your training camp has been so far?

Training camp was good. I don't want to jinx anything, but I feel like I want to be one of those guys that's like feeling everything went kind of perfectly. I didn't get sick, I didn't get any staph infections or anything. That kind of usually happens. So yeah, I'm pumped.

Q2: You'll be in the main event once again. So, Figueiredo has a lot of experience. Obviously, both of you have been at the pinnacle. So what are your thoughts? How do you think this fight is going to go? What is your opinion of him as an athlete? 

I think Figueiredo's a really good fighter. Obviously he's really experienced and I think he's one of the guys that's just, Oh yeah, he's like a very game guy, which I really like. Like he's like a fighter's fighter, which which I can really appreciate and I feel like relate to.

And yeah, I think Figueiredo is really good. I think that he's got some really good skills. I think that he is a really dangerous guy and he packs a punch and he knows how to make power when he, when he does submissions and stuff. So yeah, I mean, I got my hands full, but I really believe that I'm like becoming the best guy in the UFC right now. I know that I have a ways to go before I can kind of, you know, get to actually say that I do that or am that. But I really think I'm on my way. Like a lot of things are really clicking for me. And and yeah, I think that I'm going to look better than ever this weekend and, and I'm pumped to have it be against such a game opponent.

Q3: So we look back at what you've done with Aljo Dillashaw and Peter Yan. So, what do you think? How do you think this stacks up against those? And which do you think was the most difficult fight? And will this be another one of those?

A lot of fights are are really different, so it's kind of hard to anticipate what's actually going to go on because just the sport is so crazy. But I mean, I absolutely plan on looking incredibly dominant in this one. I think that a lot of my misscomings in the past in some fights are sealed up and I'm a way better fighter than I feel like I've ever been. And I think it's just going to be my best performance to date is going to be this Saturday. So yeah, I mean, I think that Figueiredo is definitely amongst one of the tougher guys that I've ever fought. And yeah, that's that's a welcome challenge.

Q4: It's been a really exciting division, It's always been one of the most exciting. But recently, there have been some incredible fights and you're always in them. What do you think about the champ and, and how do you how do you look at him in the future? Like when you think of yourself as an evolution, as a fighter.

Merab's great, like, I mean his most obvious weapon is his conditioning, which he beats everyone with. I'm the only guy in the top five that hasn't had a crack at beating them. And I would love to go outlook really impressive against Biggie and then get get my chance to show that I'm better than Merab. And then if O'Malley wins, you know, me and O'Malley are the entire world wants to watch me and that guy fight.

So I think that I have a pretty good argument regardless of how the title match ends up in a month or so. But I know that I got to handle business and look really impressive this weekend. First, I'm going to ask to be the backup fighter in a month and then and then hopefully just, you know, really stamp my shot  at being the next title contender. And yeah, I mean, hopefully that's what my year will look like is fighting for the belt in, you know, 6 months or so.

Q5: At UFC 316, the bantamweight title is on the line. So obviously, you need to keep an eye on that. What are your thoughts about that fight? And when you say you want to be the backup fighter for that, are you taking that into account in your current training?

In this camp I focused a lot on just myself and not as much the opponent, which was really helpful and just me developing and becoming who I think I need to be in order for me to be the champ. I don't really know what that fight is going to look like in a month, honestly. I definitely am not counting O'Malley out by any means.

I think that he definitely can win, but in all likelihood it'll probably look the same. Who it would be my guest only because Merab just consistently does that. But you know, like over and over and over again. So it obviously works. So I mean, O'Malley can try to stop it, but Merab has shown that he's very, very good at doing what he does. You know, he stands at a really safe distance.

He he takes people down, gets him tired and he doesn't get tired and then he puts more pressure and more pressure and then and it's just a pain in the ass of a guy to fight. So I mean, that's what Merab's going to do. O'Malley's going to try to land a big shot, probably leaves, but you know, and then O'Malley's just going to do what he wants to do. Both of those guys are very, they have like one way to win. Both of those guys. I feel like I've I'm probably the most dynamic guy in terms of abilities to win in a number of ways. And that's I think what really sets myself apart. And I've always kind of been like a long term thinker and being like a long term strategist. So that's the type of martial artist I've turned myself into. And, yeah, I mean, they both kind of have one path to victory, I feel like. And when I fight them I feel like I'll have multiple.

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Q6: Last year, Merab did a spectacular fighter tour in India. His fansbase has grown like as big as Conor McGregor. So do you see yourself like, do you want to get over there? Do you want to get in front of the fans and, and really, you know, connect with that fanbase?

I'm just waiting for my invitation, if that's all that I need to wait on. That's a place that I've been wanting to visit for a really long time. I just haven't only because when I do go, I want to go for like a few months. I don't want to just make it like a quick trip. But yeah, I was actually just looking at which Indian restaurant I'm going to go to afterwards because that's my favorite food. So yeah, I'm just waiting for my invitation. So once someone gives me the invite, I'll be over there.

Q7: You have a very no nonsense approach when it comes to the fight.  You don't trash talk, you don't put on airs about things, like O'Malley obviously does. And of course we have the funny guy Merab. What's your what's your whole approach behind that? Do you just feel more more focused on the sport itself?

I just don't really care for it. You know, that's a good question. I feel like most of the athletes that I really looked up to when I was younger were really no nonsense guys. Like they were just like fierce, fierce competitors. And I always recognize that out of like the really good basketball players that I really liked watching like Allen Iverson and Kobe Bryant and stuff like that. So those are kind of just the guys that I looked up for were up to were the guys that just were just the best competitors in the world and did it without trying to be super flamboyant and also wear it like kind of mean and gritty. I liked that too.

So yeah, those are kind of just the guys that I looked up to. I also have this thing in my head where I don't, I want to leave the world a better place than, you know, than what it is now and the way that I came into it. And, and I feel like I don't really like the feeling that I'm causing people stress in any way. And so like, I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings, you know, and I know that like we're all big boys and all of that stuff, but I'm also, I can also be kind of cutting when I talk trash too.

So I don't really have the personality to be like much of A jokester sometimes just because I come off really serious and my sense of humor is really dry and it can be kind of cut in. So I've just gotten in trouble with that in the past and I don't like hurting people's feelings. So I don't, that's just kind of why, I guess. And, and I just prefer to have my fights through the talking.

Q8: Finally, you're nicknamed Sandman. This is pretty interesting. And they'd like to know, how did you come up with that? How did that evolve?

I guess that's just kind of what people called me when I was younger, just because my last name is Sam Pagan. That's kind of like a mouthful, you know? So Sandman's just easier to say. We were all really into superheroes and stuff when we were growing up. And the Sandman isn't by any means my favorite superhero, but he definitely is. I mean, it fits the bill with the Sandhagen. So yeah, just the Sandman. I also think that like, my stupid, like when I was in elementary school, my daycare teachers used to sing like Mr. Sandman to me all the time. So it's kind of just been a name that's just always been around me in my life.

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Watch the UFC Fight Night - Sandhagen vs. Figueiredo on 4th May 2025 at 7:30 AM IST live on Sony Sports Ten 1 SD & HD, Sony Sports Ten 3 SD & HD (Hindi), Sony Sports Ten 4 SD & HD (Tamil & Telugu).