Former UFC heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier is a fan of a potential TJ Dillashaw vs. Cory Sandhagen fight.
Sandhagen returned to the win column following an emphatic second-round wheel kick knockout of Marlon Moraes in the UFC Fight Island 5 headliner this past weekend.
As a result, “Sandman” put himself right back into title contention. And with Aljamain Sterling slated to face Petr Yan for the bantamweight title next, Sandhagen named the only two fighters he would be interested in facing next.
“The only other guys who have an argument is TJ when he gets back in January and Frankie [Edgar],” Sandhagen said in his post-fight interview. “All the respect to both of those guys but I want that belt. Those are the only two guys ahead of me and then I want the winner of Yan vs. Sterling.”
Given that Sandhagen just finished the number one contender in the bantamweight division, many fans will now be paying extra attention to him.
However, he could be getting even more attention with a win over someone like former bantamweight champion Dillashaw according to Cormier.
“Sandhagen vs. Dillashaw? That’s a great fight,” Cormier said on his show with Ariel Helwani on Monday. “It’s a great fight for both, though, right? Because if TJ beats Cory Sandhagen, he puts himself right back in line. And if Cory Sandhagen beats him, it’s that big shiny name.
“We talk about this all the time. We talk about it with Leon Edwards all the time. You need that big shiny name on your resume that makes everybody take notice. And I believe if Cory Sandhagen can get a win over a former champion in TJ Dillashaw, that’s exactly what he needs.”
Of course, Sandhagen should be able to get a title shot even without a win over Dillashaw, but it’s certainly an intriguing fight, especially given their styles.
And with Dillashaw set to return in January from his two-year EPO ban, the timing could work out as well.
