Umar Nurmagomedov was able to get the better of Cory Sandhagen over five rounds tonight at UFC On ABC 7 to take his career record to 18-0.
Round One:
Sandhagen pressing forward early. He looks for a leg kick. Nurmagomedov lands a leg kick. Sandhagen connects with one too.
Nurmagomedov able to get inside and works for his first takedown. There’s a bit of a struggle here, but Sandhagen manages to keep upright and then break away.
Back to striking range. Sandhagen with a low kick. Body kick for Nurmagomedov. Sandhagen misses on a punch but lands a leg kick.
Body punch from Sandhagen. Nurmagomedov in on a single-leg attempt in the center of the Octagon. Sandhagen staying upright on one leg though and then gets out of the clinch. Good work for him.
Nurmagomedov with a push kick to mainatain distance. Leg kick for Sandhagen. Nurmagomedov drives forward with a punch but loses his balance and falls forward onto the mat. He gets quickly back up.
Low kick for Sandhagen. Left hand for him. Calf kick from Sandhagen landed nicely. Short right hook from Nurmagomedov. Sandhagen has a minor cut to his right brow.
Low kick from Nurmagomedov and a push kick from Sandhagen. Nurmagomedov ducks under a strike and goes for a takedown. This time he lands it in the center of the Octagon. Sandhagen rolls though, but can’t escape Nurmagomedov’s clutches. Nurmagomedov trying to set up a submission opportunity but there’s not enough time left in the round.
Round Two:
Body kick for Nurmagomedov. Solid calf kick for Sandhagen. Single-leg attempt from Nurmagomedov. Sandhagen sprawls in the center of the Octagon and tries to chip away with short punches. Nurmagomedov spins around to his back, so Sandhagen drives back to his feet and then breaks free.
Dangerous counter hook from Sandhagen just whiffs the target. Right hand from Nurmagomedov. Left hand for Sandhagen. He tries for a jumping knee without success. Inside leg kick from Nurmagomedov.
Head kick from Nurmagomedov is blocked and Sandhagen fires back with a low kick. Nurmagomedov catches a low kick and lands one of his own.
Body kick from Sandhagen and a low kick in response from Nurmagomedov. Nurmagomedov comes close with a high kick as Sandhagen was leaning forward.
Body kick from Sandhagen. Push kick from Nurmagomedov. Low kick for Sandhagen. Low kick for Nurmagomedov now. leg kick from Sandhagen is caught by Nurmagomedov and he works for a takedown. He’s able to get to the back and drag Sandhagen down onto him.
Sandhagen trying his best to scramble out here as Nurmagomedov is trying to secure his position. Good work from Sandhagen to battle through that and get back to his feet. He’s able to get free before the round ends.
Round Three:
Body kick for Nurmagomedov. Now a quick one from Sandhagen. Another leg kick from Nurmagomedov. Body kick for Sandhagen. Back to the leg kick. Another kick from Nurmagomedov too.
The leg kick exchanges continue. Nice inside leg kick from Nurmagomedov. Body punch for him. Head kick from Nurmagomedov misses. Inside leg kick. Outside calf kick.
Sandhagen steps into a leg kick but Nurmagomedov is instantly trying to work a takedown off that. Again Sandhagen is so fast to scramble and escape to his feet.
Body kick for Nurmagomedov. Missed head kick from Sandhagen. He jumps into a switch kick. Body kick for Nurmagomedov. Missed strike from Sandhagen and Nurmagomedov lands a punch to the body.
left hand for Nurmagomedov. Nurmagomedov catches a kick, gets a takedown and has Sandhagen’s back. Sandhagen rolls, but Nurmagomedov stays latched on. Sandhagen on his knees and is able to stay there as the round ends.
Round Four:
Kicks off the arms from Nurmagomedov. jab gets through for him. Glancing left hook off the back foot from Nurmagomedov as Sandhagen is trying to press forward.
Jab for Nurmagomedov but Sandhagen lands his on the counter nicely too. leg kick for Nurmagomedov and a left hand from Sandhagen. Jab for Nurmagomedov. Now a one-two for him.
Another one-two for Nurmagomedov. Now an inside leg kick. Sandhagen steps in but gets a couple of short punches for his troubles.
Back to the one-two for Nurmagomedov. Left hook from Sandhagen. Nice body punch from Sandhagen. leg kick for Nurmagomedov and gets one in return.
Brief exchange of punches at close range. Jab for Nurmagomedov. Missed head kick from Sandhagen. Short flurry of punches from Nurmagomedov mostly comes off the guard but threatens with a straight. Inside leg kick for Sandhagen.
Missed front kick upstairs from Sandhagen. Nurmagomedov ducks under a punch, spins around to the back and works for the takedown. Sandhagen is on his knees. Nurmagomedov moves on top as he struggles to keep Sandhagen down. He is able to keep him from getting to his feet in the final seconds of the round though.
Round Five:
Jab for Nurmagomedov. He feels out with a body kick. leg kick for Sandhagen but a bit tentative. Solid body kick for Nurmagomedov. Nice step-in kick from Sandhagen in response.
Sandhagen goes for a single-leg then punches upstairs instead. Body punch from Sandhagen. He tries again for a single-leg but nothing doing that time.
Reaching punch from Sandhagen misses and Nurmagomedov lands his. Short flurry of hooks from Nurmagomedov.
leg kick for Nurmagomedov. Head kick attempt misses. He suddenly spins around to Sandhagen’s back again and drags him to the mat. Sandhagen rolls once again. Sandhagen scrambles but ends up on his back and then Nurmagomedov gets into his guard in the center of the Octagon.
Sandhagen working elbows off his back. He’s scrambling now and gets to his knees and turtles up. Nurmagomedov drags him back down onto him though. Sandhagen scrambles to his knees once again. He then finds himself flat on his back shortly after though.
Final 40 seconds. A few short hammerfists from Nurmagomedov. 10 seconds to go and Nurmagomedov stays tight on top. He lands a few punches in the final second and we’re going to the scorecards.
Decision:
Nurmagomedov proved he could edge out the striking battle against Sandhagen here, though while he also had some brief wrestling success he wasn’t as dominant there as he might have hoped. Nevertheless he still emerges with a solid unanimous decision victory (50-45, 49-46 x2) and his unbeaten record intact.
