Where Is Cory Sandhagen From? Ethnicity, Religion & More

Cory Sandhagen may carry himself like a soft-spoken scholar, but don’t let his mild manner fool you. Underneath lies a beast sharpened by years of discipline, hardship, and heart. Born and bred in Aurora, Colorado, ‘The Sandman’ didn’t just rise from the thin mountain air—he fought his way up with sweat-drenched gloves and a curious mind.

But where exactly did this innovative striker come from? What shaped the mind behind the violence, and what values anchor him when the cage doors slam shut? Let’s peel back the layers behind ‘The Sandman’!

What is Cory Sandhagen’s background? Ethnicity and nationality

Born on April 20, 1992, Cory James Sandhagen is a proud American with deep roots in Aurora, Colorado. A true Rocky Mountain native, he was raised in a suburban setting and educated at Smoky Hill High School. His heritage? Predominantly Caucasian. His identity? Unmistakably shaped by Colorado’s altitude, attitude, and athletic spirit.

Though he began as a basketball enthusiast, that love slowly gave way to combat sports. Why? Taekwondo didn’t let him punch. So, at 17, he picked up boxing gloves from Walmart—red, white, and blue like the American dream—and never looked back.  That moment sparked something.

Soon after, he stepped into High Altitude Martial Arts and found his true path. Sandhagen then won WKA world titles and finally went into mixed martial arts. Sandhagen also went on to study psychology at the University of Colorado, graduating with a degree that now helps him understand not just himself, but his opponents. Today, he’s more than just a fighter.

‘The Sandman’ is also a part-time worker at a trauma center for children and the head of the youth kickboxing program at High Altitude Martial Arts. He loves teaching kids who have the goal of becoming athletes or just becoming stronger.

And beyond the bright lights of the Octagon, he’s a coach, a mentor, and a man who’s never forgotten where he came from. But what’s the spiritual side of the man known for delivering spectacular knockouts inside the cage?

What religion does Cory Sandhagen follow?

If tattoos could talk, Cory Sandhagen’s back would preach. Angels reach into stormy waters. Crosses rise from cavalry. A dove spreads its wings above it all. At first glance, it screams religion. But Sandhagen’s belief system doesn’t fit into a tidy box.

“It’s kind of more or less like a religious piece,” he admitted at a press conference. “I’m not like a very religious guy in the traditional sense, you know.” His voice carried a casual honesty. The ink wasn’t about dogma. It was about meaning.

He even chuckled at how others viewed it. “Someone described it once that it looks like a dump print on my back on TV… That was very great, because that is exactly what it looks like.” The bantamweight star laughed off the critique but owned the choice as he confessed, “Had I had the foresight, I probably would’ve gotten something a little more badass and legible.”

So, is he religious? Not traditionally. But his tattoo suggests a connection to higher values—salvation, struggle, and maybe even sacrifice. Qualities that will serve him well when he takes on former two-time flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo in the main event of UFC on ESPN 67.

While his last outing against Umar Nurmagomedov ended in disappointment for the Colorado native, this is his opportunity to re-establish himself as a title contender! Do you think ‘The Sandman’ has what it takes to bounce back in spectacular fashion? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!