UFC bantamweight contender Cory Sandhagen has thrown his hat in the ring for a high-profile showdown against Sean O’Malley, specifically pitching the bout for the upcoming UFC White House event this summer.
Following a competitive loss to Merab Dvalishvili, Sandhagen is eager to stay active at 135 pounds and capitalize on fan interest in potential matchups. While numerous intriguing fights are available to him, the stylish clash with O’Malley stands out, as the two fighters have never met in the cage despite their entertaining approaches.
Sandhagen believes he holds the edge over O’Malley, nicknamed ‘Suga,’ and made a compelling case for the fight during a recent appearance on the ONX Sports podcast. “O’Malley is definitely the guy that there is to fight,” Sandhagen said. “Everyone’s talking about that fight. There’s really, I mean, there’s no reason not to do it. I’m coming off of a really close fight with Merab, where it was a super competitive fight. Still lost, but it was a very competitive fight. He’s coming off of getting finished by Merab – got finished once, but lost to him twice. That’s the fight that everyone’s calling for.”
The proposed matchup gains added intrigue amid reports that O’Malley could be lined up for a title fight against Petr Yan at the White House card. Sandhagen dismissed any hesitation, predicting massive appeal for a Sandhagen-O’Malley bout.
“Hell yeah, and I think Sean would bite at that too,” Sandhagen continued on the podcast. “Because who wouldn’t want to fight? That fight is gonna get so many views. Like the last one at Paramount+ got like 7 million viewers or whatever. Imagine what the White House card is gonna get. People are gonna tune in from other sports just because it’s a once-in-a-lifetime event. I bet you it’ll be around 14, 15 million people watching.”
Sandhagen’s recent performance against Dvalishvili showcased his competitiveness, positioning him as a viable contender looking to rebound. Meanwhile, O’Malley’s back-to-back losses to Dvalishvili— including one finish—have left his trajectory uncertain, making a stylistic battle with Sandhagen an attractive option for the UFC.
The buzz around this potential fight underscores the depth of talent in the bantamweight division, where high-stakes events like the White House card could draw unprecedented viewership and elevate the profiles of both fighters.
