Cory Sandhagen “The Sandman”
Bantamweight · United States · UFC
Switch-stance volume striker with elite footwork, angles and creativity
Flying knee / spinning wheel kick
Record & stats
| Division | Bantamweight |
|---|---|
| Categories | MMA |
| Promotion | UFC |
| Nationality | United States |
| Team | High Altitude Martial Arts / Elevation Fight Team |
| Height | 180cm5′11″ |
| Reach | 178cm5′10″ |
| Stance | Switch |
| Age | 34 |
| KO rate | 61% |
| Status | Active |
How the wins come
61% Finish rate- 8 KO/TKO · 44%
- 3 Submission · 17%
- 7 Decision · 39%
Recent results
- Lvs Mario BautistaBautista def. Sandhagen (UD, 29-28 x3)
Auto-linked from KIAI's event coverage — updated as fights are decided.
Biography
Cory "The Sandman" Sandhagen is one of the most inventive strikers ever to grace the UFC bantamweight division. Born April 20, 1992 in Aurora, Colorado, he honed his craft at High Altitude Martial Arts and the Elevation Fight Team before joining the UFC in 2018, where his stance-switching, angular footwork and killer instinct quickly made him a fan favorite. His highlight reel is among the division's finest: a spinning wheel kick knockout of Marlon Moraes, a 28-second flying-knee finish of Frankie Edgar — the second-fastest in UFC history — and a fourth-round stoppage of Song Yadong. Sandhagen has twice fought for UFC gold, pushing Petr Yan in a Fight of the Night interim-title classic in 2021 and challenging champion Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 320 in 2025, while stacking wins over Marlon Vera, Rob Font and Deiveson Figueiredo. The 34-year-old lost a rematch with Mario Bautista at UFC 329 — a man he had submitted in 2019 — by unanimous decision on July 12, 2026, and was reported to have injured his leg during the fight; no next bout had been announced as of July 17, 2026.
Fight history
- LMario BautistaL UD 3
- LMerab DvalishviliL UD 5
- WDeiveson FigueiredoW TKO R2
- LUmar NurmagomedovL UD 5
- WRob FontW UD 5
- WMarlon VeraW SD 5
FAQ
- What is Cory Sandhagen's record?
- As of July 2026, Cory Sandhagen is 18-7 (8 wins by KO/TKO, 3 by submission, 7 by decision). He most recently lost a unanimous decision (29-28 x3) to Mario Bautista at UFC 329 on July 12, 2026.
- When does Cory Sandhagen fight next?
- No fight had been announced as of July 17, 2026. He is coming off a unanimous-decision loss to Mario Bautista at UFC 329 (July 12, 2026) and was reported to have hurt his leg during the fight.
- Has Cory Sandhagen ever won a UFC title?
- No — he has twice fought for UFC gold, losing decisions to Petr Yan in the 2021 interim-title bout and to champion Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 320 in October 2025.
- Has Sandhagen fought Mario Bautista before?
- Yes — UFC 329 was their second meeting. Sandhagen submitted Bautista with a first-round armbar (3:31) at UFC Brooklyn in January 2019; Bautista won the rematch by unanimous decision (29-28 x3) at UFC 329 on July 12, 2026.