Umar Nurmagomedov Targets International Fight Week Clash vs. Cory Sandhagen

Umar Nurmagomedov wants to settle the score with Cory Sandhagen after defeating Bekzat Almakhan at UFC Fight Night 238.

Nurmagomedov survived an early scare after getting dropped in the first round and rallied to score a thoroughly dominant unanimous decision win over the Kazakh debutant, who was riding an eight-fight winning streak with seven finishes. Nurmagomedov acknowledged his opponent’s toughness and isn’t fretting over the lack of a finish.

“When I’m going inside cage it was father plan: we gonna take him down, try to finish him but finish not work,” Nurmagomedov said at Saturday’s post-fight press conference. “He didn’t let [it happen]. But it’s OK.”

Nurmagomedov subsequently called out Sandhagen, who he was scheduled to face this past July before pulling out due to a shoulder injury. The undefeated Russian also addressed pullout accusations, noting that his health has only been responsible for two matchups falling through, one of which he already ran back.

“Everybody talk about my pullouts…In my life, I pull out, for me, because of health two times,” Nurmagomedov said. “First time I was sick, my face was very big and I didn’t sleep all night. I was very sick, I didn’t remember [a] worse time than that in my life. I didn’t fight but that fight was with Sergey Morozov and later I fight with him. Second time because of me, because of my [health], I pull out because of my shoulder. I injured my shoulder, I did surgery and I will fight with Cory Sandhagen again I hope. It’s two times when I pull out because of me. Other when [coronavirus] come, when my uncle [Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov] pass way, when opponents pull out, they are gonna count everything and say Umar pull out eight times. No, it’s not true.

“I just wanna fight. Cory Sandhagen, he talk about me, International Fight Day [Week] he wanna fight, let’s go.”