Fan favorite Cory Sandhagen will try to position himself for another title shot on Saturday when he faces rising prospect Umar Nurmagomedov in the main event of UFC Fight Night. Their five-round showdown, with a title shot likely going to the winner, tops the main UFC fight card starting at 3 p.m. ET from the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. The No. 2-ranked Sandhagen has long been hailed as a future champion by numerous MMA analysts, but to this point in his career he is 0-3 against top-five opponents, including two title eliminators and an interim title fight. He can likely earn another chance at UFC gold with a win over Nurmagomedov, who is headlining and facing a ranked opponent for the first time.
Nurmagomedov is a -300 favorite (risk $300 to win 100), while Sandhagen comes back at +240 in the latest UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs. Nurmagomedov odds. In the co-main event, Shara Magomedov (-240) takes on Michal Oleksiejczuk (+200) in a matchup of middleweight prospects. Before locking in any picks for UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs. Nurmagomedov, make sure you see the MMA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine analyst Daniel Vithlani.
Vithlani made his SportsLine debut in January 2023 and swept the main card for UFC 283 with a 5-0 record and has been a consistent winner ever since. His highlights include predicting an upset for Sean O'Malley (+210) against Aljamain Sterling (-250) at UFC 292 as part of a 4-1 main card and his UFC 299 winners included underdog selections on Poirier (+190) against Saint Denis (-230) and Michael Page (+110) against Kevin Holland (-130). His main-card picks netted his followers a profit of more than $1,500 in 2023. Anyone who has followed him has seen massive returns.
Now, with UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs. Nurmagomedov in sight, Vithlani has studied the card from top to bottom and released his top selections. You can only see his picks and analysis at SportsLine.
Top UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs. Nurmagomedov picks
The name Nurmagomedov immediately harkens nostalgia to UFC royalty. Umar Nurmagomedov is a cousin of former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, who retired in October 2020 with a 29-0 record after defending his title with a submission of Justin Gaethje. The former champion is now a decorated coach who briefly ran his own MMA promotion. Umar is also the older brother of Usman Nurmagomedov, who is the current lightweight champion in the Bellator promotion.
Umar Nurmagomedov (17-0) has had an impressive but limited rise in the UFC because of a variety of factors. Willing opponents have been difficult to come by, but that's only part of the problem. The 28-year-old Dagestan native has withdrawn from numerous fights because of injury, illness, family emergencies and travel complications.
To this point, his record consists of wins over low-level journeymen and limited prospects. His last appearance resulted in a decision victory over Bekzat Almakhan in March. It was Nurmagomedov's first appearance in the octagon in more than 15 months. Even so, many MMA observers believe Nurmagomedov is destined to become the bantamweight champion, and Saturday's main-event opportunity provides a major stepping stone toward that goal.
Similar plaudits were once thrust upon Sandhagen, who was fawned over by countless MMA analysts who regularly rejoiced in declaring the octagon technician a future champion. The 32-year-old Colorado native won his first five UFC fights but has faltered against truly world-class opposition. He's 0-3 against top-five competition, with losses in two title eliminators and in one fight for the interim title.
Even so, his ardent supporters still insist he will become a champion, and his relentlessly self-aggrandizing, dour hipster disposition appears to be a major draw among male millennial MMA fans. Still, at UFC 250 in June 2020, Sandhagen was submitted in 88 seconds by Aljamain Sterling, who would go on to become the champion and make three title defenses. He later lost a split decision to former champion TJ Dillashaw and lost a unanimous decision to Petr Yan for the interim title at UFC 267 in October 2021.
At UFC 250 in June 2020, Sandhagen was submitted in 88 seconds by Aljamain Sterling, who would go on to become the champion and make three title defenses. He later lost a split decision to former champion TJ Dillashaw and lost a unanimous decision to Petr Yan for the interim title at UFC 267 in October 2021.
Sandhagen, who is known for his fight IQ and runs a popular YouTube channel breaking down MMA techniques, has since won three consecutive fights against middling veteran contenders. His last appearance resulted in a wrestling-heavy decision win over fading veteran Rob Font in August of last year. But a decisive victory Saturday would likely earn him another shot at the coveted belt. You can only see his picks and analysis at SportsLine.
UFC Fight Night predictions
We'll share one of Vithlani's UFC Fight Night predictions here: He is going with Lupita Godinez (+110) to get her hand raised against Mackenzie Dern (-130) in a showdown of women's bantamweight contenders on the main card.
Dern (13-5) is a former multi-time world grappling champion who made a mid-career transition to mixed martial arts to much fanfare. She made her UFC debut in March 2018 and won five of her first six fights with the promotion. But the 31-year-old, who has also had success in the modeling world, has dropped three of her past four fights against upper-tier competition.
Godinez (12-4) is a boxing-based fighter who is known for her pressure style and durability. Last year, she set the UFC record for women by notching four victories in a calendar year. However, the 30-year-old Mexican fighter saw her four-fight win streak come to an end with a decision loss to veteran Virna Jandiroba in March.
"Dern's boxing has improved but, when forced to stand and trade with superior strikers, she takes severe damage. Godinez throws tight hooks in the pocket, and Dern is likely to get clipped when she looks to close the distance," Vithlani told SportsLine. See who else to back here.
How to make UFC Fight Night picks
Vithlani has strong picks for Sandhagen vs. Nurmagomedov and other bouts on the UFC Fight Night card. He's also backing a fighter who "will show off his kickboxing skills" and emerge with a huge victory. Those picks and predictions are only available at SportsLine.
Who wins UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs. Nurmagomedov, and how exactly does each fight end? Visit SportsLine now to get detailed picks on UFC Fight Night, all from the MMA expert who profited more than $1,500 on his UFC main-card picks in 2023, and find out.
UFC Fight Night odds, fight card
See full UFC Fight Night picks, predictions, best bets here.
Cory Sandhagen (+240) vs. Umar Nurmagomedov (-300)
Shara Magomedov (-240) vs. Michal Oleksiejzcuk (+200)
Marlon Vera (+145) vs. Deiveson Figueiredo (-170)
Tony Ferguson (+550) vs. Michael Chiesa (-750)
Lupita Godinez (+110) vs. Mackenzie Dern (-130)
Joel Alvarez (-185) vs. Elves Brenner (+160)
Azamat Murzakanov (-205) vs. Alonzo Menifield (+170)
Mohammed Yahya (+300) vs. Kaue Fernandes (-360)
Shamil Gaziev (-230) vs. Don'Tale Mayes (+190)
Guram Kutateladze (-205) vs. Jordan Vucenic (+170)
Victoria Dudakova (-175) vs. Sam Hughes (+145)
Jai Herbert (-155) vs. Rolando Bedoya (+130)
Sedriques Dumas (-215) vs. Denis Tiuliulin (+180)
