No Stopping Nurmagomedov in Main Event Against Sandhagen
Surprisingly Wide Sandhagen vs Nurmagomedov UFC Odds
There is seemingly no stopping the rise of 17-0 Umar Nurmagomedov, who fights the experienced Cory Sandhagen on Saturday.
Held in Abu Dhabi, the bantamweight fight headlines the UFC Fight Night card, where the Russian fighters are expected to prevail.
The Sandhagen vs Nurmagomedov UFC odds have Nurmagomedov at -300 to keep his unbeaten run intact, with Sandhagen the outsider at +240.
Sandhagen Continuing Impressive Comeback
Following consecutive losses to T.J. Dillashaw and Petr Yan in 2021, it would have been easy for Sandhagen to get down on himself.
However, the 32-year-old American has battled back and won his last three fights.
He kicked things off with a win over Yadong Song in 2022 via a fourth-round TKO. Song didn’t get back up from his chair, and we’re not surprised after Sandhagen landed 94 significant strikes.
One of the top-seeded bantamweights in the UFC, Sandhagen then fought Marlon Vera and Rob Font, beating them both by decision. He landed 128 significant strikes against Vera, so his work rate is much better than most.
However, he’s not just a striker. He showed that when taking down Font seven times in his most recent fight. He attempted seven takedowns and landed them all, and he almost pulled off a submission attempt.
Beating Sandhagen isn’t easy, as shown with his UFC rankings for 2024. He’s the number two-ranked fighter in the division, so the odds aren’t giving him much respect, but that’s because his opponent is a beast.
As the Sandhagen vs Nurmagomedov UFC odds suggest, he won’t find it easy at Etihad Stadium. However, when Sandhagen fights, there’s always a chance of winning.
No More Avoiding Nurmagomedov
Give Sandhagen some credit. Most fighters have avoided Nurmagomedov, and he has stepped up to the plate.
There is a reason why he is being avoided, and it’s not just because he’s unbeaten in 17 fights. His UFC schedule for 2024 kicked off with a decision win over 11-2 Bekzat Almankhan, and he allowed his opponent to throw only 25 punches over three rounds.
He controlled the fight with his takedowns but also threw 145 punches himself. That makes him tough to beat, and he also has enough power to score wins by knockout.
The 28-year-old Russian defeated Raoni Barcelos with a first-round knockout in 2023, so it’s tough to beat a grappler who also has knockout power.
His UFC odds of -300 are on the short side, but we’re not surprised with the sportsbook giving him the ultimate respect. He believes he has the cardio edge over five rounds, and points out how tired Sandhagen got against Yan.
“Didn’t he get tired in the Petr Yan fight? He talks like he is a cardio machine, he was winning the early rounds but he lost the fight because he got tired. So I am really surprised to hear comments like that from him like he can outlast me.”
“Okay we will see, we will check this out.” Nurmagomedov said.
The Yan fight was a long time ago, and Sandhagen has improved since. However, going five rounds with someone like Nurmagomedov is seemingly impossible. He wears fighters down on the ground, and the American might not have any juice left after the third round.
Unbeaten Run Unlikely to Run
It could be an early contender for Fight of the Year if everything goes to plan. They are both excellent grapplers and are two of the busiest fighters in the octagon. We could have fireworks in Abu Dhabi.
However, if Nurmagomedov gets Sandhagen to the ground, the underdog could find it tough to get back up, despite being a good wrestler. The Russians are built differently when it comes to wrestling, and we think the favorite has more power at his disposal.
Top fighters have avoided him, but because Sandhagen is the number two seed, he doesn’t have much choice. He needs to fight a potential champion in the making, and it’s unlikely to end well.
The Sandhagen vs Nurmagomedov UFC odds have it right, and bettors should jump on the -300 odds before they firm throughout the week.
For UFC betting news, odds analysis, and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.
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