Bantamweight

Cory Sandhagen

18-7

Age
34
Height
5'11"
Reach
5'10"
Stance
Switch
Camp
Elevation Fight Team
Out of
USA
Style
striker
Fight IQ
B · 70
Finish rate
17%
Win rate
72%

Career methods

KO/TKO
7
Sub
3
Dec
8

FightMetric

SLpM

4.92

SApM

2.70

Str Acc

51%

Str Def

54%

TD Avg

1.14

TD Acc

34%

TD Def

63%

Sub Avg

0.24

Tape read

Pocket striker — suspect hips against the shot

Fight IQ

70B

Built from FightMetric rates, method shares, and 3 loaded UFC rows. Timing and agility are tape proxies, not lab measurements.

IQ

B

Ground

D

Defense

C+

Counter

D

Reaction

proxy

D

Agility

proxy

C

TD react

D

Chin

B+

What they do well

  • Durability

    Standard UFC durability. Can be hurt, usually recovers if the shot is not clean.

Where they leak

  • Ground game

    Thin offensive ground game. Wins come standing; once taken down this fighter is hunting a stand-up, not a sweep chain.

  • Counter punching

    Limited counter threat. Opponents can miss without paying a finishing tax.

  • Takedown reaction

    A takedown magnet. Low TD defense plus submission losses — this is the hole a grappler builds a camp around.

Scouting report

Cory Sandhagen is a 34-year-old Switch bantamweight out of USA, camped at Elevation Fight Team. The tape read: pocket striker — suspect hips against the shot. Career mark 18-7-0 — 7 by KO/TKO, 3 by submission, 8 by decision. Fight IQ grades B (70).

What works. Durability is the standout at 79 (B+). Standard UFC durability. Can be hurt, usually recovers if the shot is not clean. Ground game D on 1.14 TD/15 and 0.24 sub attempts. Striking defense C+ at 54% / 2.70 SApM. Counter punching D; punching agility C (output × accuracy × age curve). Takedown reaction D on 63% TD defense. These are tape proxies — not lab reaction times — built from FightMetric rates, finish shares, and 3 loaded UFC rows.

Where it breaks. Ground game is the soft spot (32, D). Thin offensive ground game. Wins come standing; once taken down this fighter is hunting a stand-up, not a sweep chain. Opponents who force wrestling and keep the fight on the fence have historically been the ones who make this résumé leak. Losses lean decision more often than a highlight — the issue is usually control of minutes, not a glass jaw.

Recent tape (3 bouts): W Figueiredo (KO/TKO R2) · L Nurmagomedov (Decision - Unanimous R5) · W Vera (Decision - Split R5). Form index positive over the last 3. 1 of those wins reached the championship minutes — cardio and late IQ are real.

Ground game

32 D

Thin offensive ground game. Wins come standing; once taken down this fighter is hunting a stand-up, not a sweep chain.

  • 1.14 takedowns / 15 at 34% accuracy
  • 0.24 submission attempts / 15 · 3 career sub wins

Striking defense

65 C+

Eats more than a championship pocket should. High SApM or a porous guard will get taxed against power.

  • 54% striking defense · 2.70 SApM
  • 0 KO/TKO losses in 7 defeats

Counter punching

44 D

Limited counter threat. Opponents can miss without paying a finishing tax.

  • 51% accuracy on 4.92 SLpM
  • 0.00 knockdowns / 15 · 7 KO/TKO wins

Timing & reaction

48 D

Late on the read. High absorb or a leaking TD defense suggests the first move often belongs to the opponent.

  • Str def 54% · TD def 63% — the two read-and-react rates
  • 2.70 shots absorbed / min (lower = sees it earlier)

Punching agility

56 C

Heavy or economical. Combinations are chosen, not sprayed — opponents can time the entries.

  • 4.92 SLpM at 51% — output with cleanliness
  • Throws without paying full retail: 2.70 SApM

Takedown reaction

45 D

A takedown magnet. Low TD defense plus submission losses — this is the hole a grappler builds a camp around.

  • 63% takedown defense — the live reaction to level changes
  • 1 submission losses (once the fight hits the mat)

Durability

79 B+

Standard UFC durability. Can be hurt, usually recovers if the shot is not clean.

  • 0 times finished by strikes in 7 losses
  • 8 decision wins — proof they last and still score

Fight history

DateOpponentResMethodRndSig
May 4, 2025Deiveson FigueiredoWKO/TKO2 4:0854/87
Aug 3, 2024Umar NurmagomedovLDecision - Unanimous5 5:0071/159
Mar 25, 2023Marlon VeraWDecision - Split5 5:00128/280