Cory Sandhagen expressed frustration with Sean O'Malley after learning he would not be facing the former bantamweight champion next. Instead, O'Malley is set to face Aiemann Zahabi at UFC White House on June 14 in Washington, D.C., on a card headlined by Ilia Topuria vs. Justin Gaethje for the undisputed lightweight title.
Following the announcement, O'Malley stated on The Ariel Helwani Show that he never turned down a fight with Sandhagen because the UFC never offered it. Sandhagen addressed O'Malley's response ahead of training partner Elias Rodriguez's fight at LFA 230 this Friday.
Sandhagen Says O'Malley Should Have Pushed for the Fight
"No, I mean the proper response — when you know that there's a fight that everyone wants to see you fight in – the proper response when the UFC calls you and says, 'Hey, we want to do you and so and so,' you go, 'Hey, what about this person? That's who the people want to see," Sandhagen told MMA Fighting. "That's the proper response in that situation and that's not what he gave."
Sandhagen acknowledged O'Malley's explanation had some validity but maintained that the former champion should have advocated for the fight fans wanted. "It just sucks that the fans are calling for this one and it didn't get to happen. That's what sucks the most," he said.
Both fighters suffered title fight losses to then-champion Merab Dvalishvili in 2025, with Sandhagen dropping a decision at UFC 320 this past October. Sandhagen noted he was not particularly disappointed from a financial standpoint, as the fight would not have resulted in a new contract or significant payday.
Payton Talbott Fight Offer Fell Through
Sandhagen revealed that the UFC presented him with a matchup against surging bantamweight contender Payton Talbott, who dominated Henry Cejudo in the former two-division champion's final MMA fight at UFC 323 this past December. "They kind of floated that idea by me and I was game for it, and then they went in a different direction," Sandhagen said.
The 33-year-old fighter confirmed he accepted the Talbott fight and began preparing for it before the UFC changed course. "I said yes to that fight. I thought that I was going to fight him for a couple days, started kind of getting ready for that a little bit, and then they decided to go in another direction and give me a different opponent, so that's kind of where I'm at now."
Sandhagen Eyes Summer Return
Sandhagen hopes to return to the octagon this summer, targeting International Fight Week as his preferred date. He outlined his plan to fight twice a year for the next few years before retiring from the sport.
"I'm shooting on that and then just try to get two more a year for the next few years and then probably, that'll be it for me. So I just want to fight twice a year for the next few years and then I'll be a happy guy," Sandhagen explained.
