Cory Sandhagen

Date: 2025-06-26 | Duration: 2h 38m

Episode Overview

Cory Sandhagen dives deep into the mindset and preparation behind competing at the highest level of MMA, sharing candid reflections on his journey and key fights. He discusses the unique challenges of fighting during the COVID-19 pandemic, including the absence of a live crowd and how that affected his energy and focus inside the octagon. Sandhagen also opens up about his mental approach to competition, emphasizing the importance of intensity and readiness, especially after experiencing a tough loss that reshaped his perspective on fighting “not playing soccer.” He highlights the role of sports psychology and journaling in managing anxiety and maintaining a winning mindset. The conversation also explores Sandhagen’s technical evolution, including his training with Ryan Hall and how studying fighters like Dominic Cruz influenced his hybrid style. He breaks down the physical demands of bantamweight competition, weight cutting strategies, and injury prevention, revealing how strength and conditioning have become integral to his performance. Beyond the cage, Sandhagen touches on his appreciation for nature, recovery methods like dry sauna sessions, and the mental clarity he gains from trail running. Throughout, his insights offer a rare glimpse into the discipline and resilience required to thrive in modern MMA.

About Cory Sandhagen

Cory Sandhagen is a professional mixed martial artist competing in the Bantamweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), known for his dynamic striking and innovative fighting style. With a professional record that showcases his skill and determination, Sandhagen has quickly risen through the ranks, earning notable victories against some of the top fighters in the division. His captivating performances and unique approach to combat, including his use of unorthodox techniques, have made him a fan favorite and a formidable contender in the octagon. Beyond his athletic prowess, Sandhagen's candid discussions about mental health and personal growth resonate with many, making him not just an athlete but an inspiring figure in the world of sports. For more about Cory, visit www.corysandhagen.com.

Key Moments

– Mixed Martial Arts
– UFC
– Fight Preparation
– Mental Training
– Weight Cutting
– Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
– Fight Strategy
– Sports Psychology
– Injury Recovery
– Strength and Conditioning
– Fight Analysis
– Training Camps
– Fight Night Experience
– MMA History
– Fight Promotions
– Athlete Nutrition
– Fight Psychology
– Fight Techniques
– MMA Fighters
– Fight Commentary
0:00:00 – Introduction to the podcast and guest Cory Sandhagen
0:05:25 – Cory reflects on underestimating his opponent
0:08:11 – Impact of no crowd during COVID on fight atmosphere
0:12:09 – Discussion about fighting five-round bouts outside UFC
0:15:01 – Training with Ryan Hall and 50-50 guard techniques
0:17:15 – Influence of Dominic Cruz and WEC on fighting style
0:21:21 – Adapting training for wrestlers versus strikers
0:24:54 – Challenges of wrestling for full 25 minutes in fights
0:29:53 – Training partners' insights on Kamaru Usman’s preparation
0:33:23 – Physical and mental challenges of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
0:37:21 – Use of Vicks Vapor Rub in training for grip advantage
0:39:35 – Discussion about Mike Tyson’s biting incident in boxing
0:41:09 – Excitement about upcoming fights and fighter skills
0:44:02 – Challenges of maintaining peak performance with age
0:48:45 – Benefits of Jiu-Jitsu for children and personal growth
0:53:13 – Explanation of the twister submission technique
0:56:49 – Use of monkey foot device for hip flexor strength
1:03:32 – Observations on opponent’s striking during training
1:07:03 – Mindset of going into fights to hurt the opponent
1:10:10 – Emotional impact of losing and existential reflections
1:14:50 – Meditation and managing internal voices for mental clarity
1:19:21 – Living outside the city and desire for a Colorado ranch
1:23:00 – Discussion about flying cars and futuristic technology
1:25:22 – Darknet marketplace and drug decriminalization
1:27:07 – Studies on psilocybin and mental health research
1:30:41 – Analysis of Justin Gaethje’s fighting style and power
1:33:10 – Proper technique for checking leg kicks in fights
1:36:35 – Comparison of UFC’s growth to other combat sports
1:38:38 – Discussion on fighter weights and divisions
1:41:10 – Physical damage and bruising from fights
1:43:19 – Noticing moments of presence during fight events
1:45:12 – Stipe Miocic fight analysis and strategies
1:47:18 – Cris Cyborg’s dominance and toughness in women’s MMA
1:50:31 – Charles Oliveira’s recent sensational performances
1:52:26 – Mental transformation when stepping into the fight cage
1:56:46 – Physical sensations and focus during fight preparation
2:01:09 – Programming the mind for fight intensity
2:05:21 – Journaling as a tool for mental preparation
2:10:58 – Dangers of complacency in MMA and other challenges
2:14:00 – Upcoming fights and potential opponents discussion
2:18:35 – Injuries and recovery stories from fighters
2:22:45 – Reading opponents’ demeanors before fights
2:25:06 – Weight cutting methods and hydration strategies
2:29:01 – Access to world-class coaches and sports science
2:34:05 – Hydration testing in wrestling and MMA
2:37:42 – Physical therapy and injury prevention techniques
2:41:21 – Importance of coaching and team support
2:46:06 – Weekly training schedule and recovery practices
2:50:26 – Benefits of dry sauna for recovery
2:55:15 – Trail running and building mental toughness
2:57:29 – Ego management and personal growth in fighting career

Transcript Excerpt

Starting point is 00:00:00 The Joe Rogan Experience Trained by day, Joe Rogan podcast by night, all day! Good to see you brother, what's happening? We were talking about golf and Jamie who's a full-blown addict What's up? You want to know? I feel like everyone is now. So you're saying Gagey's fully hooked? Starting point is 00:00:27 Oh, fully hooked. It's crazy. He, yeah, I don't know. Do you know what Fanatics Fest is? No. So Fanatics Fest is, I was just at it on Sunday. But it's just like, it's like kind of like Comic-Con, but for athletes. Starting point is 00:00:41 And Gagey got to do like the Fanatics game, which is like a celebrity thing, where it's like 50 pro athletes do it 50 normal people and they compete in a bunch of sports or whatever He said he won because he was good at golf. So the fucking guy won a Ferrari because he got second place Tom Brady got first he got a million dollars and then like a normal like non professional athlete got third place Got like 200k. Whoa, he's got a Ferrari. Yeah, dude golf Got him shit golf got him for this fucking Ferrari. I think he took shit Yeah, so he's so that kind of just enforced his addiction more than damn. He's that good. Yeah, he's pretty good Starting point is 00:01:18 I mean for I don't know shit about golf But Daniel told me DC told me that he started off and he was just kind of okay But over the time between the Holloway fight and his fight with Fiziv He didn't do anything but play golf for a year So he played like 260 days in a row and he said his handicap just kept getting better and better and better and better He said the next time he played him. He's like, holy shit. He's really good now sounds about right. Yeah, make sense though He's a psycho. He is a psycho. Yeah. Starting point is 00:01:45 Completely dedicated to something. And he's single. He's going to excel. If that guy gets his mind on something, he's going to excel. Yeah. He's a unique dude, for sure. I've really liked because obviously, y...

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Who was the guest on Joe Rogan Experience #10167?

Cory Sandhagen was the guest on JRE #10167. This page includes the episode overview, topics discussed, and related resources.

What topics were discussed on JRE #10167?

On Joe Rogan Experience #10167 with Cory Sandhagen, topics include Mixed Martial Arts, Fight Preparation, Mental Training, and Weight Cutting.

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The full searchable transcript for Joe Rogan Experience #10167 with Cory Sandhagen is available on this page, along with key topics and timestamps.