Cory Sandhagen is expecting Petr Yan to emerge victorious in his imminent rematch against Aljamain Sterling.
Although there is no confirmation on when and where the fight will take place, Dana White has stated that Yan and Sterling will once again compete for the UFC bantamweight title in the coming months.
According to Sandhagen, Yan was a superior fighter in the first title bout opposite Sterling. He is expecting the same from the Russian when he challenges the current champ for the second time.
In an interview with ESPN MMA, Sandhagen added that he would be ready to take on either man if he beats T.J. Dillashaw this weekend at UFC Vegas 32.
“I think (Petr) Yan is going to win that fight against (Aljamain) Sterling unless Sterling can pull something out of his hat. But I think we all saw how the fight went the first time around, where I think Yan was pretty decisively winning. So I think Yan will likely win that fight and I’ll fight Yan whenever Yan wants to fight. The same goes for Sterling if Sterling wins,” said Cory Sandhagen.
However, Cory Sandhagen suggested his ideal opponent would be whichever of the two doesn’t delay a potential championship fight ‘The Sandman’.
Citing Sterling’s neck surgery, which stalled his rematch against Yan, Sandhagen said he doesn’t want his potential opponents to get “too comfortable in their lives” to the point where they can call the shots and postpone a fight.
“He’s good at turning himself into a killer” – Cory Sandhagen on T.J. Dillashaw’s fighting abilities
Cory Sandhagen will go up against T.J. Dillashaw at UFC Vegas 32 this weekend. Acknowledging the former bantamweight champ’s fighting credentials, ‘The Sandman’ said Dillashaw is a “great competitor.”
“I think T.J. (Dillashaw) is a really great competitor. I think he is obviously a great athlete. As far as T.J.’s skills go and his mentality, I’m complementary in that way. I think that’s what T.J. is good at. He’s good at turning himself into a killer, going out, being a really good athlete, and fighting really well. The guy is a good fighter,” said Cory Sandhagen.
Dillashaw is returning to the UFC after a two-year suspension. He last fought against Henry Cejudo in 2019 for the flyweight title. The 35-year-old tested positive for erythropoietin (EPO), which paved the way for his suspension.
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