Cory Sandhagen had warned us he was on the brink of something special. But no one expected a flying knee, with just 28 seconds gone on the clock. Least of all Frankie Edgar. A stunning Sandhagen (14-2) knockout of the veteran Edgar (23-9-1) on Sunday placed the 28-year-old American first – and foremost – in the queue for a crack at the bantamweight belt, and lit up the UFC Vegas 18 card. “I guess I didn’t need them,” Sandhagen said afterwards, when Daniel Cormier asked post-fight about the “tricks” the fighter had promised to showcase on Sunday. “I was excited to show off my wrestling skills as everyone knows that I suck at that – but I’ll take that [win].” It was the second-fastest flying knee in UFC history, behind that welterweight Jorge Masvidal cracker that landed on the chin of Ben Askren at UFC 239 in July, 2019. And it was the second straight highlight reel move in a row for Sandhagen, following his spinning heel kick finish of Brazil’s former title contender Marlon Moraes (23-8-1) last October. Sandhagen came in ranked second in the bantamweight division and both fighters had talked up the bout as a title shot eliminator throughout the week. So now it’s Sandhagen who will turn his attention to UFC 259 on March 6 and to how Russia’s reigning bantamweight Petr Yan (15-1) goes against the top-ranked American Aljamain Sterling (19-3) in their title bout. There’s also the little matter of former champ TJ Dillashaw (16-4) to deal with too, given the American has recently completed his two-year doping ban and is hungry for a return to action. But Sandhagen has well and truly learned a shot at the belt. He lost to Sterling at UFC 250 last June – via rear naked choke in the first – but said he was now a different beast entirely. “I’m a different monster than I was when I fought Aljamain,” said Sandhagen. “He taught me some lessons. I know Yan has been talking about fighting TJ, after that fight – that’s even if he wins that fight. That’s garbage to me. Fight me. I’m the toughest guy next to Aljamain and if Aljamain wins I owe him a nap, and he gets that nap. The winner of that fight gets knocked out by me in July.” The fight started pretty much as expected, with the 39-year-old Edgar moving forward, and looking for an opening. But it was over in a flash, as Sandhagen leaned back, for a split second, then he leapt, and he landed. For the fourth-ranked Edgar the move down to bantamweight began with a Fight of the Night effort in taking a split decision over the No 7-ranked Brazilian Pedro Munhoz (18-5, one no contest). He’d hoped Sunday would set up a title run but he ended on his back. “You know, it feels good man, but that’s Frankie Edgar. I don’t want to watch that happened to him but better him than me. That’s the game we’re in.”