Home/UFC

UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs Dillashaw will see a bantamweight match-up between Cory Sandhagen and T.J. Dillashaw go down in the main event. Sandhagen is the topmost contender of the division. Dillashaw, on the other hand, is a former two-time bantamweight champion. However, he is unranked as he is making his return to the Octagon after a two-year suspension.

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

Sandhagen has won all but one of his fights in the UFC. This loss came to the current champion, Aljamain Sterling. Following that defeat, his last two performances inside the Octagon were a measure of his true talent. A wheel kick knockout of Marlon Moraes and a flying-knee finish against Frankie Edgar are worthy of being a part of any highlight-reel.

via Imago

Dillashaw, on the other hand, suffered a knockout loss against Henry Cejudo in his last fight in 2019. He has won 4 out of his last 5 fights inside the Octagon. Two knockout wins over Cody Garbrandt have been his most recent triumphs in the promotion.

Read More: VIDEO: Canelo Alvarez Teaches UFC Champion Brandon Moreno to Throw the Perfect Body Shots

Sandhagen has a professional record of 14-2. 6 T/KO and 3 submission finishes make up his finishing tally of 9. Dillashaw’s record is an impressive 16-4. He has a total of 11 finishes under his belt. 8 T/KO and 3 submission wins comprise those numbers for the former champion.

Cory Sandhagen vs T.J. Dillashaw: Analysis

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

Sandhagen has taken a fresh approach to his game lately. Rather than having a feeling-out process, he goes in for the kill right away. Also, his length and reach pose a problem for every opponent he faces inside the Octagon.

via Getty

Dillashaw is a complete fighter with pure technical striking and dominant grappling skills. He certainly has a wrestling advantage over ‘Sandman’. However, the real test will be whether he can get inside Sandhagen’s length to use that weapon.

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

The fight is very evenly balanced, but Sandhagen has the momentum. Hence, he might just be too sharp at the moment for Dillashaw. He can catch Dillashaw off-guard early and get a finish. However, Dillashaw can get better of any fighter on his day.

Final Prediction: Cory ‘Sandman‘ Sandhagen by first-round T/KO.