Podcast Summary: The Herd with Colin Cowherd

Daniel Cormier TV – Cory Sandhagen on beating Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 320, OnlyFans Rumors

Date: October 3, 2025
Host: Daniel Cormier (DC)
Guest: Cory Sandhagen

1. Episode Overview

This episode centers on Cory Sandhagen, UFC bantamweight contender, as he prepares for his title challenge against Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 320. Host Daniel Cormier dives into Sandhagen’s training, mental evolution, tactics for the fight, and addresses viral rumors about Sandhagen’s personal life. The conversation blends fight analysis, candid banter, and insights into the psyche of a high-level fighter approaching a career-defining bout.

2. Key Discussion Points and Insights

A. Roast Sparks Performance Playbook: Breaking Down the Co-Main Event

• DC’s Fight Keys (02:37):
  • For Merab Dvalishvili: Must pressure, score takedowns – his wins come from relentless pace.
  • For Cory Sandhagen: Key is takedown defense—remain in motion, avoid being a stationary target, and use “beautiful striking.”
  • Sandhagen’s footwork is emphasized as crucial to stay upright and outstrike Merab.

B. Viral ‘OnlyFans/Ball Pictures’ Rumor

• The conversation opens with DC ribbing Sandhagen about a rumor he made a million dollars “selling pictures of his balls” online.
• Key Clarifications:
  • It started as a joke by Sandhagen but was picked up by media as a serious story ([04:30]–[05:05]).
  • Sandhagen playfully admits, “I don't know. I just made a joke and then people thought it was real, but serious journalists, like, made articles about it.” ([04:45])
  • When asked if there’s any truth: “No, no, no.” ([04:56])

Notable Quote:

DC: “There was a story that came out that said you were a millionaire now because you're selling pictures of your balls. Come on, Corey, you’re not. You little ball showing son of a bitch.” ([03:16])

C. Sandhagen’s Growth and Camp Evolution

• Sandhagen opens up about changes in his training—giving full control to coaches Carrington Banks and Trevor Whitman—allowing them to “mold me into the fighter that I am.” ([06:50])
• Emphasizes the difficulty of learning wrestling nuances later in life and the benefit of dedicated work with Banks.

  “We just like wrestle three, four times a week, just me and him just going at it. Instead of like, some coaches would just show you a move and be like, go do the move. And that's not how wrestling works.” ([09:04]–[09:38])

• DC highlights the collaborative relationship between Sandhagen and his coaches—honoring Cory’s creativity and fight IQ ([07:30]–[08:43]).

D. Cardio Myth and Strategy Against Merab

• The discussion busts the myth around Merab’s legendary cardio.
• Sandhagen’s coach pointed out:

  “Just to be clear, this whole narrative around Murad being an absolute animal and having the best cardio on planet earth is not real. Like, that dude gets tired the same way other people get tired, but it's just body language.” ([10:15])

• Sandhagen respects Merab’s toughness and ambition but notes, “He's not invincible.” ([10:47])

E. Preparation, Adaptation, and Visualization

• Sandhagen’s mentality shift: previously, he was a purely technical fighter; now it’s about “breaking everyone” in sparring and visualizing fight success.
• Training includes high-intensity sparring rounds with fresh partners each round, sometimes up to eight rounds straight ([17:39]–[17:45]).

• “Now when I go spar with guys…it’s not like, let me do good stuff. Like now it's like, I'm gonna break this person and he maybe has two rounds in him if he's lucky, but after that, like, I'm gonna tear him apart.” ([16:56]–[17:34])

F. Mental Approach and What the Title Means

• Sandhagen visualizes winning but sees the championship more as a step than a destination.
• His plan for legacy: beat Merab at UFC 320, then face and beat Umar, Yan, and O’Malley in 2026.

• “I know for in order for me to be viewed the way that I want to in my career, I got to go out in 2026 and, and beat Umar, beat Yan and beat O'Malley. So that's my plan after this one and Merab and winning a belt is important to me, but so is everything else that comes afterwards too, and I'm pumped for it." ([18:27]–[18:44])

• Stress on staying grounded: “I don't think the belt is gonna give me a little bit of a bigger head, but I really see it as, like, the work isn't gonna get any easier until I hang up the gloves and I'm all done.” ([19:40])

3. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote | |-----------|---------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 03:16 | DC | “You little ball showing son of a bitch.” | | 04:45 | Sandhagen | “I just made a joke and then people thought it was real, but serious journalists, like, made articles about it.” | | 06:30 | Sandhagen | “Merab's definitely the toughest guy that I fought, but it's the most confident that I've been.” | | 09:04 | Sandhagen | “If you don't have, like, the already built in, just nuance things…it's really, really hard to learn that later. And Banks is one of the hardest workers I've ever met.” | | 10:15 | Sandhagen | “This whole narrative around Murad being an absolute animal and having the best cardio on planet earth is not real. Like, that dude gets tired the same way other people get tired, but it's just body language.” | | 16:56 | Sandhagen | “Now it's like, I'm gonna break this person and he maybe has two rounds in him if he's lucky, but after that, like, I'm gonna tear him apart.” | | 18:27 | Sandhagen | “I've thought about it every day for the last since I got the phone call...but more than that, man, I see this just as one step on the ladder.” | | 19:40 | Sandhagen | “I don't think the belt is gonna give me a little bit of a bigger head, but I really see it as, like, the work isn't gonna get any easier until I hang up the gloves and I'm all done.” |

4. Timestamps for Key Segments

• 02:37 – Cormier’s “Performance Playbook” for Sandhagen vs. Merab
• 04:30–05:05 – OnlyFans/Ball-Pictures Rumor and Media Reaction
• 06:30–08:43 – Sandhagen’s evolution under his coaches and the art of collaboration
• 09:04–09:38 – Learning wrestling with Carrington Banks
• 10:15–10:54 – Debunking the Merab cardio myth and strategizing
• 15:33–16:10 – How Sandhagen’s movement is a unique challenge for Merab
• 16:56–17:34 – Sandhagen’s mental shift: from technique to breaking opponents
• 17:39–17:45 – Sandhagen’s brutal sparring regimen
• 18:27–19:00 – Title as a step, not a finish line; legacy ambitions

5. Tone and Vibe

The podcast blends playful teasing (the viral ball-pic rumor), deep technical fight analysis, and psychological introspection. DC’s tone is warm, slightly irreverent, and curious; Sandhagen is calm, introspective, and dryly witty. Sandhagen’s reserved nature is a running joke, contrasted with the lively and engaging DC.

6. Conclusion

This episode offers an in-depth look at Cory Sandhagen’s mindset and preparation as he faces a career-defining title shot. Listeners gain thoughtful commentary on his evolution as a fighter, the importance of coaching and collaboration, and how he navigates both media scrutiny and the mental challenges of fighting. For fans of MMA and sports psychology—or anyone curious about the human side behind elite performance—this is an engaging listen.