Welcome to The Weekly Takedown, Sporting activities Illustrated’s in-depth look at MMA. Each and every week, this column gives insight and details on the most noteworthy stories in the battle environment.
Cory Sandhagen defeated Chito Vera in March. The gain was dominant, displaying that Sandhagen is a legit contender for the bantamweight title.
Now Sandhagen seeks to take away any remaining doubt in excess of that. He has recognized a bout against the undefeated Umar Nurmagomedov, which will headline the UFC Combat Evening in Nashville this August.
“I’m in this issue to see how good a martial artist I am,” states Sandhagen. “That’s where by the magic lies for me, chasing that more than and over again. That is what I’m about.”
On the floor, accepting this fight appears to be a shortsighted choice for Sandhagen (16–4). The argument can be manufactured that he has little to gain and a whole lot to shed. He is presently rated fourth in the division, whilst Nurmagomedov (14–0) is all the way at 11th. Nevertheless Sandhagen has an entirely distinct point of view on why accepting this battle is a necessity.
Specially thinking about that the UFC was contemplating reserving Nurmagomedov towards Merab Dvalishvili, who is the prime-rated bantamweight, Sandhagen wanted to choose the bout to propel himself into a title shot.
“I never know who cares a lot less about the rankings—me or the UFC,” suggests Sandhagen. “I really don’t believe that plays a large piece in their choice-producing. They ended up about to have Umar combat Merab, and that would have been a even bigger gap in rankings. I see it as you have to continue to keep fighting for your place.
“Umar is a really unique, unique type of fighter. I seriously take pleasure in the challenge of figuring these varieties of people today out. That keeps me locked in and would make me improved and improved. Umar is a marvelous grappler and has a unique design of putting, so making ready for him has already built me better.”
Sandhagen has competed towards decisively monumentally far better opponents than Nurmagomedov, including the most new bout in opposition to Vera, who experienced entered that combat on a tear.
“My working experience is certainly an edge, but it is not like a giant, simply noticed edge,” claims Sandhagen. “It’s just an inch. But fights are gained and shed in inches. UFC fighters are all so gifted. If I can extend out that inch, it will go a extended way. The Chito fight introduced out the very best of me in camp. He was knocking everyone out. I know I could not break for a next against him. I found out a great deal about myself in that camp and that battle. Now this struggle is going to make me battle more durable and more difficult.
“The Dagestanis have a really looming existence in the UFC. People are scared to struggle them. It reminds me of back again in the working day when [José] Aldo was winning a lot, and Anderson Silva was profitable a lot there turned this matter in which the Brazilian fighters all turned seriously, truly superior. We’re all good, but only a pair of us are genuinely, actually fantastic. No 1 understands if Umar is that guy still. And 135 is a distinct division. You really do not get to steamroll as a result of it. It’s the hardest division, and it is produced me a really tricky fighter. I’ve been demanding myself for the earlier 4, 5 yrs. That’s a large deal in my view.”
A victory towards Nurmagomedov will place Sandhagen specifically in which he wishes. A solid effectiveness would also make it possible for him to achieve a broader array of combat enthusiasts.
“I’m not pretty loud or outspoken, I’m not incredibly flashy,” suggests Sandhagen. “That will make men and women consider I’m not as good as I am. I’ve always flown underneath the radar for the reason that I preserve to myself. I don’t have an extroverted character, so it’s taken time for persons to understand how fantastic I am.
“The challenge is genuine in this article. It’s going to be a genuinely rough combat. There is no having all over that, and that’s likely to carry out the ideal in me.”
Ilia Topuria should really set himself in posture for title shot with victory against Josh Emmett
Ilia Topuria is in the system of blazing via the featherweight division. A victory versus Josh Emmett on tomorrow’s UFC on ABC card must propel him into a title bout.
Topuria (13–0) was very last seen in the cage dismantling previously undefeated Bryce Mitchell. He made shockingly fast operate of Mitchell, ending the bout midway as a result of the next spherical via an arm-triangle choke.
Emmett is destined to tumble out of the title photo if he loses this bout. Winner of five of his past 6, Emmett (18–3) struggled mightily in opposition to Yair Rodríguez in February in a bout for the interim featherweight belt. His finest shot will be landing his ferocious assault of strikes, but this is a matchup that appears to totally favor Topuria.
If Topuria is victorious, he ought to be future in line to problem either Alexander Volkanovski or Rodríguez, dependent on the end result of their title unification bout in July. Or, if Volkanovski wins and then returns to light-weight, one more risk is that Topuria will fight Aljamain Sterling—permitting he leaves the bantamweight division—to make a decision the new winner.
A lot of variables are in put for the future, but just one certainty remains. Topuria will be atop the list of contenders with a victory in excess of Emmett.
The Decide ’Em Section:
UFC on ABC featherweight bout: Josh Emmett vs. Ilia Topuria
Decide: Ilia Topuria
UFC on ABC women’s flyweight bout: Amanda Ribas vs. Maycee Barber
Select: Amanda Ribas
UFC on ABC middleweight bout: Cody Brundage vs. Sedriques Dumas
Decide: Sedriques Dumas
PFL 6 light-weight bout: Olivier Aubin-Mercier vs. Anthony Romero
Decide: Olivier Aubin-Mercier
PFL 6 lightweight bout: Shane Burgos vs. Yamato Nishikawa
Decide on: Shane Burgos
Previous 7 days: 4–1
2023 record: 62–41
Justin Barrasso can be attained at JBarrasso@gmail.com. Adhere to him on Twitter @JustinBarrasso.
