Cory Sandhagen open to fighting TJ Dillashaw or Cody Garbrandt

UFC bantamweight contender Cory Sandhagen says he is open to fighting TJ Dillashaw or Cody Garbrandt if he doesn’t get a 135lbs title shot.

Sandhagen has been vocal about his desire to fight for the belt next after knocking out Frankie Edgar and Marlon Moraes in his last two fights. With UFC bantamweight champion Petr Yan set to defend his belt against Aljamain Sterling at UFC 259 next month, Sandhagen is hoping to get the winner of that fight. However, UFC president Dana White hasn’t guaranteed him anything yet, and there are rumors that Dillashaw could be the one who gets the shot instead.

Speaking to SiriusXM Fight Nation, Dillashaw reiterated that his goal is to get a title shot in his next fight. But if the UFC wants him to take a fight in the meantime, there are only two opponents he would consider: Dillashaw or Gabrandt, big names who are both former UFC bantamweight champions.

🔊 If a bantamweight title shot isn't next for Cory Sandhagen, @cors_life told @jimmysmithmma the two opponents he would take a fight with and how he stacks up against them on Unlocking The Cage 🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/Yj6Ltefoga

— MMA on SiriusXM (@MMAonSiriusXM) February 10, 2021

“I would take a fight against TJ or Garbrandt. As opponents, both of them are super tough, man. I think that I’m just at a different place with me. Both of them were former champs. I don’t ever like to think that because I want it more means I’m going to get it more, but I think you lock me in the cage with both of those guys, I’m not leaving a loser. I will not let myself lose to either one of those guys knowing that they had what I want, and they want to come through me to get it again,” Sandhagen said.

“As opponents, they’re really good, you know. Me and TJ used to be training partners but it’s kinda hard to have respect for that dude after his suspension and him using steroids. I think I’m next in line and it would really be a bummer if one of those two got to hop in front of me because they’re a little bit more popular and that’s the business side of the sport and one day I’ll be able to make the calls for that too, but I’m not there in my career yet. But as opponents, man, I wouldn’t let either one of those opponents beat me. And with the way that I’ve been performing, man, it wouldn’t surprise me if I had a couple more really nasty knockouts against those guys, also.”

Who do you want to see Cory Sandhagen fight next?