Cory Sandhagen is making a strong case for the next bantamweight title shot as the division awaits the outcome of Merab Dvalishvili vs. Sean O’Malley 2 at UFC 316 on June 7, 2025. With top contenders competing for position, Sandhagen believes that his recent win over Deiveson Figueiredo at UFC Fight Night on May 3, 2025, puts him ahead of former champion Petr Yan, the only other top-5 bantamweight coming off a victory.
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Sandhagen stopped Figueiredo in under two rounds, while Yan, whose ahead of him in rankings, scored decision wins over Song Yadong and Figueiredo in 2024. “I finished Figgy in a round and a half. Yan didn’t finish Figgy. Yan got dropped by Figgy.” Sandhagen said at the press conference. He argued that his dominant win proves he’s better, and he dismissed Yan’s claim since Yan lost to Dvalishvili and O’Malley. Sandhagen added, “I showed that I’m the best guy, and deserve to be next.”
The two fighters met at UFC 267 in 2021 for the interim bantamweight title. Sandhagen took the fight on a short notice, while replacing Aljamain Sterling. Sandhagen started strong but Yan dropped Sandhagen once. Yan rallied back into the fan and won most of the rounds, and won the fight via unanimous decision.
With four wins in his last five fights, Sandhagen has yet to compete for the undisputed title despite nine straight five round bouts. As the bantamweight division’s top fighters await UFC 316’s outcome, Sandhagen’s recent dominance and bold claims makes him a leading candidate for the next title shot.
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