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‘It sucks’ … Cory Sandhagen addresses the one UFC legend fight that got away

Originally posted on Bloody Elbow
By Christopher De Santiago | Last updated Apr 30, 2025 9:01 PM ET

UFC star Cory Sandhagen lost out on his #1 dream fight earlier this year.

The highest-ranking UFC Bantamweight to not have fought the champion Merab Dvalishvili returns this weekend in what will be his ninth five-round fight in a row.

In the main event of UFC Des Moines, Cory Sandhagen is set to collide with Deiveson Figueiredo, a former two-time flyweight champion.

Few fighters have a resume like Sandhagen’s, the top contender sharing the Octagon with the likes of former champions TJ Dillashaw, Aljamain Sterling, Petr Yan and Frankie Edgar—all by the age of 33.

However, there is one legend missing from the list, a fight that never took place against one of, if not the greatest bantamweight of all time.

Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images

Cory Sandhagen says the UFC was trying to match him up with Dominick Cruz

In the lead-up to UFC Des Moines this Saturday, Sandhagen was asked about a fight with Dominick Cruz, the former two-time UFC Bantamweight Champion who retired in February.

Cruz was scheduled to fight Sandhagen’s former foe Rob Font in the co-main event of UFC Seattle but an injury forced him off the card and ultimately into retirement.

“[UFC] always kinda [were] like, ‘Hey, We’re gonna try to do you and Cruz, we’re gonna try to do you and Cruz…’ And yeah, it never happened,” Sandhagen said at media day on Wednesday.

“It sucks that it never happened,” Sandhagen added, detailing how important it was to him.

“It’s always one that I really wanted to have. I mean, I would have loved to have that fight.

“I really looked up to Cruz growing up. Even when I watched my old fights, I’m like, damn, I look like Dominick Cruz…

“I’ve changed a lot since then, but yeah, always looked up to that guy,” Sandhagen said of the future hall of famer.

Dominick Cruz arguably has the greatest footwork in UFC history

Taking after Cruz, Sandhagen rose through the ranks of the UFC bantamweight division utilizing his footwork and striking skills to get past dangerous knockout artists such as Marlon Moraes and John Lineker in a ‘David vs. Goliath’ fight.

Cruz is world-renown for his footwork and ability to cut angles inside the Octagon, making him a tough opponent to get a read on with his unorthodox movement.

On top of that, Cruz had some of the best cardio in the UFC, defeating champions like Demetrious ‘Mighty Mouse’ Johnson, TJ Dillashaw and Urijah Faber (twice) over the championship distance.

Cruz won the WEC title in 2010 and was later promoted to the UFC’s inaugural bantamweight champion after the premier promotion purchased WEC.

The story of Dominick Cruz’s career was riddled with injuries, three ACL tears between his two title reigns which were two years apart. In 2016, Cruz pulled off one of the greatest comeback stories ever when he dethroned Dillashaw to recapture his title after a lengthy road to recovery.

Cruz retired from MMA at the age of 39 due to a shoulder injury sustained in his final training camp.

This article first appeared on Bloody Elbow and was syndicated with permission.

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