UFC star Cory Sandhagen has spoken candidly about the mental aspect of preparing to battle UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili in a 25-minute war.
As we know, Cory Sandhagen appears to be the new number one contender for the UFC bantamweight championship. While Merab Dvalishvili has done a remarkable job as champion up to this point, Sandhagen will firmly believe that he has what it takes to snatch the belt from 'The Machine'.
Regardless of whether or not you agree with that assessment, he's going to be preparing for the fight of his life. The bantamweight division is as stacked as it has been in a long time, and it speaks volumes to Cory's abilities that he's been able to earn this opportunity.
Ahead of fight night, Cory Sandhagen has opened up on what he's expecting when he gets in there with Dvalishvili.
Cory Sandhagen prepares for battle
“I think a major key component to fighting Merab is going to be to make sure that I’m the one leading the dance. I need to mentally keep up with the pace he sets, and also mentally keep up when I get tired—because everyone gets tired in fights. My brain has to be ready to handle Merab for 25 minutes.”
Cory Sandhagen has been so close to reaching the top of the mountain in the past but now, he's on the verge of making history. Sure, he'll be going up against a seemingly unstoppable champion, but this is mixed martial arts we're talking about - and anything can happen.