UFC 320: Merab Dvalishvili ‘looking for a knockout’ vs. Cory Sandhagen
Merab Dvalishvili makes a bold prediction for his UFC 320 title defense vs. Cory Sandhagen.
Henry Cejudo is sensing an upset in the UFC 320 co-main event.
Merab Dvalishvili (20-4 MMA, 13-2 UFC) will look to notch his third bantamweight title defense of the year when he meets Cory Sandhagen (18-5 MMA, 11-4 UFC) on Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
The marquee matchup for UFC 320 (ESPN+ pay-per-view) is the light heavyweight title-fight rematch between champion Magomed Ankalaev and Alex Pereira, but Cejudo thinks the promotion got it wrong.
“This should be the main event,” Cejudo said of Dvalishvili vs. Sandhagen on his “Pound 4 Pound” podcast with Kamaru Usman.
Although Cejudo lost to Dvalishvili at UFC 298 and later declared him the greatest bantamweight of all time, he’s picking big underdog Sandhagen to dethrone him.
“I’m going to go more significant strikes for Cory, because I just feel like he’s a technician, he knows how to cut the angle, he’s going to hit him with big strikes,” Cejudo said. “Not just that, but Cory is a hard dude to put away. I don’t know if he’s even been put away besides Aljo (Sterling). I think he’s that guy. I think we’re going to hear ‘and new.’ I really do.
“I feel like if Cory is able to get composure, if Cory’s got all the tools – hands, knees, elbows, could Cory have composure and not lose his gas tank? That’s it. If he can find the easiest way to get up and just relax, you’re going to get taken down. You’re going to be taken down repeatedly. But could you just relax, get up, use your strikes, and let him – you almost flip the game plan on Merab, but the key is composure. Cory’s got better striking.”
