Few resumes in the bantamweight jungle sparkle like Cory Sandhagen’s. The Colorado striker mixes video‑game creativity—flying knees, spinning wheels—with cerebral fight IQ gleaned from hundreds of hard rounds at Elevation Fight Team. Fresh off a May 3, 2025 headliner against Deiveson Figueiredo in Des Moines, the “Sandman” again commands search buzz. This Cory Sandhagen profile breaks down every stat, result and highlight that matters, tracks his next‑fight timeline, and shows exactly where he lands in our spring MMA rankings 2025. ESPN Press Room U.S.
Table of Contents
Quick Facts about Cory Sandhagen
- Date of birth: 20 April 1992 (33) Sherdog
- Home base: Aurora, Colorado — Elevation Fight Team UFC
- Height / Reach: 5 ft 11 in (180 cm) / 70 in (178 cm) UFC
- Division(s): Bantamweight (135 lb); two featherweight bouts on regional scene Sherdog
- Pro record: 17‑5 (10–4 UFC) KO/TKO 7 | Sub 3 | Dec 7 Sherdog
- Notable bonuses: 2 × Fight of the Night, 2 × Performance of the Night UFC
Fight‑by‑Fight Record
- W – Deiveson Figueiredo – UFC Des Moines, May 3 2025 – UD (49‑46 ×2, 48‑47) – 5 Rds, 5:00 ESPN Press Room U.S.
- W – Rob Font – UFC Nashville, Aug 5 2023 – UD (50‑45) – 5:00 UFC
- W – Song Yadong – UFC Vegas 60, Sep 17 2022 – TKO (cut) – R4, 5:00 UFC
- L – Umar Nurmagomedov – UFC Austin, Mar 2 2022 – SUB (RNC) – R2, 4:11 Sherdog
- W – T.J. Dillashaw – UFC Vegas 32, Jul 24 2021 – SD – 5:00 UFC
- L – Petr Yan – UFC 267, Oct 30 2021 – UD – 5:00 UFC
- W – Frankie Edgar – UFC 258, Feb 6 2021 – KO (flying knee) – R1, 0:28 UFC
- W – Marlon Moraes – UFC Fight Island 5, Oct 10 2020 – TKO (spinning wheel kick/punches) – R2, 1:03 UFC
- L – Aljamain Sterling – UFC 250, Jun 6 2020 – SUB (RNC) – R1, 1:28 UFC
- W – Raphael Assunção – UFC 236, Apr 13 2019 – UD – 5:00 UFC
See the full ledger on UFC.com and Sherdog.
Style Breakdown & Best Highlights
Sandhagen fights like a lanky switch‑stance sniper who studied Muay Thai and skateboard physics in equal measure. He disguises rangy jabs with step‑in knees, then chains level‑changes to force opponents into reactive shots he can sprawl on or trap in front‑headlocks. Among 17 pro wins, nine came via dynamic finishes—most replayed is the 28‑second flying‑knee knockout of Frankie Edgar.
Recent News & Next Fight
- May 3 2025: Sandhagen out‑boxed ex‑flyweight champ Deiveson Figueiredo over five rounds at UFC Des Moines, landing 159 sig. strikes to 96 and stuffing 8 of 10 takedowns. ESPN Press Room U.S.
- April 20 2025: ESPN’s Brett Okamoto reported Sandhagen re‑upped a new four‑fight deal, retaining co‑main–event pay. ESPN Press Room U.S.
- Next fight: UFC has earmarked Q3 2025 for a title‑eliminator versus the Umar Nurmagomedov / Henry Cejudo winner, per matchmaker Hunter Campbell’s media scrum. UFC
Get live updates on UFC.com and breaking analysis from ESPN and MMA Junkie.
Where Cory Sandhagen Ranks Right Now
Our April refresh placed Sandhagen No. 4 at bantamweight—behind champ Merab Dvalishvili, Sean O’Malley and Umar Nurmagomedov—and No. 14 pound‑for‑pound. ESPN’s panel lists him No. 5, while Sherdog pegs him No. 6. Fight Matrix’s algorithm bumped him to No. 3 after the Figueiredo win, thanks to quality‑of‑opposition factors. Check the full ladder in our rankings hub to see how one more win could launch him into title talk. UFC
FAQs About Cory Sandhagen
What belt in BJJ does Cory Sandhagen hold?
Sandhagen is a Brazilian Jiu‑Jitsu brown belt under Eliot Marshall at Elevation Fight Team. UFC
Will Sandhagen fight for the title in 2025?
If he beats the Nurmagomedov/Cejudo winner, UFC president Dana White says he’s “next in line” for Merab Dvalishvili. UFC
How many finishes are on Cory Sandhagen’s record?
Ten of 17 wins ended early—seven knockouts and three submissions—giving him a 59 % finish rate. Sherdog
Updated on May 1 2025.