CORY SANDHAGEN

Biography

Cory James Sandhagen (born April 20, 1992) is an American professional mixed martial artist . He currently competes in the Bantamweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). A professional since 2015, Sandhagen also competed for Legacy Fighting Alliance . As of August 6, 2024, he is #4 in the UFC bantamweight rankings . Born and raised in Aurora, Colorado , Sandhagen attended Smoky Hill High School where he was on the basketball team – a sport he had been playing from his youth. Sandhagen began martial arts training as a child, starting with taekwondo . His instructors didn't allow punches, so Sandhagen switched to kickboxing. In kickboxing, Sandhagen won multiple WKA titles including a WKA world title. He then transitioned to mixed martial arts. He had been a fan of the sport since his childhood.