Cory Sandhagen reacts to backlash over UFC Nashville performance

Cory Sandhagen has given a response to those upset by his UFC Nashville performance.

Sandhagen went one-on-one with Rob Font inside the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee on August 5. Sandhagen was expecting to meet Umar Nurmagomedov, but Umar suffered an injury during training. When it was clear that Umar was out of the fight, Font got the call to fill in.

Ultimately, this fight was one-sided. Cory Sandhagen demonstrated his grappling, and Font could not deal with the top control. It was not an entertaining fight, and fans in attendance showered Sandhagen with boos. Reports have even claimed that UFC President Dana White exited during the fourth round.

The fight went the distance and Sandhagen was awarded the unanimous decision victory.

Cory Sandhagen Responds

During the UFC Nashville post-fight press conference, Cory Sandhagen said that while he’s been in barn burners in the past, this wasn’t the night to take chances (h/t MMAFighting).

“I love the crowd,” Sandhagen said. “I want to put on a good show, of course. To me, that’s beautiful martial arts. … I know that the people want to see blood. That’s how it is. I’ve given them plenty of blood in the past. This is the way I had to win tonight.”

Sandhagen insisted that he took a late replacement opponent to give the fans a show. He probably didn’t anticipate that he’d end up being booed out of the building.

“It’s kind of funny,” Sandhagen said. “The fans were booing, but the reason almost that it was the way it was is because I really wanted to be there for them.”

While Sandhagen picked up a win against a ranked opponent on short notice, his performance may hinder him. The UFC tends to favor fighters who can draw attention and have exciting fighting styles. It might be safe to say a UFC title shot is not guaranteed for Cory Sandhagen at this time.