Cory Sandhagen is excited to get the chance to fight Aljamain Sterling. But, he doesn’t think he’ll get the opportunity in May as expected.
It was rumored Sandhagen would take on Sterling at UFC San Diego in May. But, with the COVID-19 pandemic shutting down the sports world, Sandhagen isn’t confident he will fight on May 16.
“From my understanding, it’s been agreed upon by both of our sides,” Sandhagen told MMA Fighting about the fight with Sterling. “I know Aljamain was excited to fight me, I know I was excited to fight him. I mean that’s honestly more what I was concerned with was getting an opponent that I thought was deserving for myself. To my understanding, I got that. It’s not going to be at the date I want it to but then again everyone is going through this.
“I talked to a buddy in Holland today and he was telling me how crazy it was. I know that me and [Dan] Hooker are kind of close and he had to close down his gym. The entire world is going through this so everything is just being pushed back. It doesn’t really bother me that it’s not going to be on May 16.”
Why Cory Sandhagen also isn’t bothered that the fight may be moved is the fact that he and Sterling can’t train properly.
“I would say right now me and Aljamain need to be really responsible and taking care of the problem that the entire world is going through,” Sandhagen said. “So staying away from training partners is the responsible thing to do. that’s what the experts are saying we should do. We’re doing that. We’re not going to be able to train for the next three weeks. at least for me in Colorado, in New York, I imagine it’s much worse.
“Me and him will fight. It will be at a different date. We both need to be at our best to perform the way that we can and put on a good showing so that we prove that to the rest of the world, too.”
The winner of Sandhagen vs. Sterling could very well earn the next title shot.
