JRE MMA Show #104 with Cory Sandhagen

Sandhagen realized after the Sterling loss that entering the cage too relaxed leaves you outmatched against opponents who show up with full, hostile intensity. He now deliberately ramps himself into a “it’s me or him when I kick the door in” mindset every sparring and fight night.

Cory works weekly with a sports psychologist and does 20+ minutes of visualization before sparring, using third‑person views to learn techniques and first‑person imagery to rehearse emotions and pressure. He treats mental prep as a controllable, trainable part of performance instead of something you “either have or don’t.”

The Sterling defeat forced him to confront complacency, underestimated opponents, and COVID‑era shortcuts. He used the pain of failure, plus solo time in the mountains, to examine his ego, identity, and attachment to winning, ultimately recommitting to martial arts as his life path.

Sandhagen’s highlight‑reel finishes came from structured drilling (endless reps on a BOB dummy in quarantine) and learning from diverse influences like coach Christian Allen, Ryan Hall, and high‑level kickboxers (e.g., Andy Souwer, ONE FC athletes), blending K‑1, footwork, and spinning attacks into his MMA game.

Correcting his hunched posture, strengthening hips/glutes, and adding targeted strength training actually made Cory feel less fatigued—because he’s more structurally efficient and doesn’t need as much effort to move or get opponents off him, rather than just “running more.”