A thrilling bantamweight showdown between Cory Sandhagen and Deiveson Figueiredo took center stage at UFC Fight Night on Saturday, held in Des Moines, Iowa. Sandhagen, ranked No. 4, faced off against former flyweight champion and current No. 5 bantamweight contender Figueiredo. Both fighters entered the octagon after disappointing losses, making this matchup critical for their respective careers.
Sandhagen suffered a unanimous decision loss to Umar Nurmagomedov last August, which ended his three-fight winning streak. On the other hand, Figueiredo, after losing his flyweight title in January 2023, moved up to the bantamweight division and experienced defeat against former champion Petr Yan in his last fight. Figueiredo had previously claimed three consecutive victories before succumbing to Yan, adding pressure to this bout.
The fight kicked off with Sandhagen immediately establishing his strategy through effective leg kicks. Figueiredo responded with a heavy leg kick of his own, then attempted to secure a takedown. Although Figueiredo successfully took Sandhagen down, the latter managed to stand back up. Figueiredo then attempted to take Sandhagen's back but slipped, allowing Sandhagen to gain the upper hand. Figueiredo isolated one of Sandhagen's legs, but Sandhagen continued to land strikes from the top position. Figueiredo briefly brought a knee bar into play but released it, while Sandhagen stormed with hard punches from above. The opening round saw Sandhagen dominating, with MMAWeekly scoring it 10-9 in his favor.
As the second round began, both fighters exchanged leg kicks again. Figueiredo stood firm, absorbing kicks before landing a powerful counter right hand. Sandhagen moved in aggressively, but Figueiredo took him down. However, Sandhagen used a leg lock to reverse the position and get back on top. Figueiredo managed to kick Sandhagen off and returned to his feet, but Sandhagen changed levels once more to secure another takedown. From there, Sandhagen maintained dominance, delivering a flurry of punches and elbows while Figueiredo fought to regain control.
In a critical moment, Figueiredo appeared to injure his knee during a scramble, rolling onto his back. Recognizing the opportunity, Sandhagen unleashed a barrage of strikes, forcing the referee to step in and halt the fight. The official time of the stoppage was recorded at 4:08 of the second round. Sandhagen scored a TKO victory, which marks an important comeback for him after his previous setback.
This fight not only highlights Sandhagen's resilience but also raises questions about Figueiredo's future in the bantamweight division following two consecutive losses. Fans eagerly await the next steps for both fighters after this compelling clash in Des Moines. Sandhagen's performance may position him for a top contender fight, while Figueiredo needs to evaluate his strategy and recovery in the coming months.
