Cory Sandhagen wants to fight Dominick Cruz around spring 2020 but he won’t beg for it.
Sandhagen was scheduled to welcome Frankie Edgar to the bantamweight division on Jan. 25. The bout would’ve been featured on the UFC Raleigh card. Instead, the UFC yanked Edgar from the bout and “The Answer” ended up serving as a replacement opponent against Chan Sung Jung. Edgar lost the bout via first-round TKO.
Sandhagen Wants Cruz But Would Settle For Another Top-Ranked Fighter
Sandhagen spoke to MMAJunkie.com and said that he’s still targeting Cruz.
“Ideally, me and Cruz fight in first week of March,” Sandhagen told MMA Junkie. “Ideally I fight on that date against Dominick Cruz, if that doesn’t happen then I’m likely going to have to wait until later March or April when this second round of bantamweight fights comes up and I can snag one of those top five guys.”
If Sandhagen can’t get his hands on Cruz next, he doesn’t plan on waiting around.
“I’m not going to try to chase a fight with Cruz too much because I think that the division is in a spot right now – all of the fights I feel like are going to do similar things for me so for example, if I fight Moraes, or if I fight Yan or if I fight Cruz, or Sterling or Aldo, or whoever else there is to fight in that top five area, fighting either of those guys isn’t a ticket to a title shot. There’s still no clear contender, I just don’t want to be left in the dust.”
“The Dominator” hasn’t competed since Dec. 2016. He dropped a unanimous decision to Cody Garbrandt, losing the UFC bantamweight title in the process. Injuries have prevented Cruz from making a return.