UFC - UFC #320
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by Stephen Abiola | in UFC Picks
Merab Dvalishvili (20-4-0) versus Cory Sandhagen (18-5-0) is a UFC Bantamweight title fight on Saturday night at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Dvalishvili comes into this fight on a hot winning streak, including two successful title defences. He took over the crown from Sean O'Malley in December 2024 before defending it against Umar Nurmagomedov and Sean O'Malley. He doesn't look like he's giving it up any time soon.
Cody Sandhagen, on the other hand, comes into this game looking to shock the UFC world with a win. He got his first title shot in October 2021 against Petr Yan, losing the battle via decision. However, he bounced back from that defeat with three straight wins before losing to Umar Nurmagomedov last year. His latest fight ended in a KO win against Deiveson Figueiredo in May this year, earning him another title shot. He'll be keen not to fluff his lines this time around.
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Merab Dvalishvili - Cory Sanhagen: Form Analysis
Merah Dvalishvili comes into this contest as the former ROC champion. He made his UFC debut in 2017 against Frankie Saenz, a fight that he lost via split decision in the third round. His struggles continued in 2018 after Ricky Simon submitted him via guillotine choke. However, he picked himself up to go on a 13-fight winning streak. This impeccable run includes two title defense fights against Sean O’Malley and Umar Nurmagomedov.
Cody Sandhagen, meanwhile, didn’t struggle much to get up to speed in the UFC. He got off to a flying start with two KO/TKO wins against Austin Arnett and Iuri Alcantara. In total, he won his first five bouts before losing to Aljamain Sterling at UFC 250 via a rear-neck choke. In October 2021, he faced Petr Yan for the interim UFC bantamweight crown, managing to compete through five competitive rounds. However, his most dominant display came in August 2023 against Rob Font, proving his adaptability and competitiveness.
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Merab Dvalishvili & Cory Sanhagen Squad Analysis
Merab “The Machine” Dvalishvili is a Georgian fighter born in January 1991 in Tbilisi, Georgia. He developed his athletic base early, having grown up in a country with a strong combat sport tradition. At 21 years, Dvalishvili moved to the US to pursue his MMA career under the watchful eyes of Ray Longo and Matt Serra in New York. In December 2017, he joined the UFC, quickly establishing himself as one of the best fighters in the bantamweight division.
Cory Sandhagen is an American fighter born in April 1992 in Aurora, Colorado. He was a basketball player during his high school days, which laid the foundation for his athletic body. Sandhagen’s MMA path started with kickboxing, where he displayed excellent striking and grappling skills. Interestingly, Sandhagen also has a degree in psychology from the University of Colorado Boulder. This can give him a well-rounded approach to training and fighting.
Merab Dvalishvili - Cory Sanhagen Key Points
- Merab Dvalishvili won his last 13 UFC bouts.
- Marab Dvalishvili won via decision in five of his last six fights.
- The fight went the distance in five of the last six Merab Dvalishvili bouts.
- The fight was decided via decision in five of the last seven Sandhagen assignments.
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Our Merab Dvalishvili vs Cory Sanhagen Prediction
Merab comes into this fight as the -400 betting favorite. He will look to impose his relentless fighting style on his opponents and wear them down. He is good at applying relentless pressure and a chain of takedowns to force his opponents into uncomfortable situations. However, Sandhagen can be a tricky opponent because he's very quick on his feet and is constantly moving inside the Octagon. The American fighter can also send in a couple of flying knees, which can cause significant damage. He will want to stay on his feet long enough and sway the judges to his favor.
Our prediction for Merab Dvalishvili vs Cory Sandhagen: A decision win for Merab.
Merab Dvalishvili vs Cory Sanhagen - Other Interesting Picks
Fight to go the distance
Cody Sandhagen has developed excellent footwork and striking skills lately. However, Dvalishvili’s relentless grappling and striking skills should help him wear down and neutralise his opponent. Therefore, our secondary prediction is for this bout to go the distance.
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