Looking forward to the later rounds! Umar Nurmagomedov vs Cory Sandhagen Prediction
Umar Nurmagomedov
Cory Sandhagen
In the early hours of Sunday in Abu Dhabi, UFC on ABC 7 will take place, featuring a non-title bantamweight bout between Russian Umar Nurmagomedov and American Cory Sandhagen as the main event. Here is a prediction for this fight from the Dailysports expert team.
Umar Nurmagomedov
A cousin of Khabib, Umar Nurmagomedov was a world champion in combat sambo and held the Gorilla FC title before his UFC debut. He made his UFC debut in 2021 with a swift victory over Kazakh fighter Sergey Morozov. In 2022, Nurmagomedov convincingly defeated American fighters Kelleher and Maness.
At the start of the following year, the Russian knocked out the seasoned Brazilian Raoni Barcelos early in the bout but was subsequently sidelined with an injury, returning to the octagon only in the spring of 2024. In his clash with Bekzat Almakhan, Umar secured a victory by judges' decision. Thus far, Umar remains undefeated in his career, boasting a five-win streak in the UFC, three of which were achieved via stoppage.
Cory Sandhagen
Cory Sandhagen, known as "The Sandman," has an extensive background in various martial arts. In his youth, he was deeply involved in taekwondo and boxing, and he won the WKA kickboxing championship multiple times. This foundation has equipped Cory with exceptional technique and a wide array of strikes, making him a formidable contender in the bantamweight division.
However, Sandhagen has notable weaknesses, particularly in his defense. Nonetheless, he compensates for this with a strong chin that has never let him down. After debuting in professional MMA, Cory quickly established himself with a 7-1 record and achieved five consecutive victories, including wins over Lineker and Assuncao. However, his title eliminator against Sterling ended in a disappointing loss.
This defeat did not hinder Sandhagen's progress. He rebounded with a victory over Moraes, and then knocked out Frankie Edgar in the first round. The year 2021 proved challenging, with decision losses to T.J. Dillashaw and Petr Yan. Sandhagen's next three fights headlined UFC events and all ended in his favor—he triumphed over Song Yadong, Marlon Vera, and Rob Font.
Umar Nurmagomedov vs Cory Sandhagen Prediction
Bookmakers clearly favor Umar Nurmagomedov in this bout, setting his victory odds at 1.37. While Umar's chances of winning are indeed higher, they are not as overwhelming as the bookmakers suggest. Our bet here is "Umar Nurmagomedov to win by decision" with odds of 2.25.
