Cory “The Sandman” Sandhagen secured a TKO victory over former flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo at UFC Des Moines, potentially cementing his position as the next title challenger in the bantamweight division.
The matchup between the 4th-ranked Sandhagen (17-5) and 5th-ranked Figueiredo (24-4-1) was billed as a title eliminator, with both men looking to secure a shot at the bantamweight championship.
From the opening bell, Sandhagen’s strategic approach was evident as he utilized his length and striking prowess. When Figueiredo repeatedly attempted to pull guard and hunt for leg locks, Sandhagen showed remarkable composure, converting those opportunities into devastating ground strikes.
“It was probably one of Cory’s best performances to date,” noted UFC commentator Michael Bisping during the broadcast.
In a recent breakdown, Sandhagen explained exactly what went wrong for his opponent:
“This is really important, especially if you’re just learning MMA or learning leg locks in general. Do not f*cking do this. Don’t do what Figgy did,” Sandhagen said while demonstrating the technique. “Figgy got up with his leg, yes, at a really bad angle. What’s happening here is he’s essentially just doing this with his leg and seeing how far he can get this close.”
Sandhagen continued with a technical explanation: “Some people are freaky flexible and can get really close, but if Elias starts to come up like this, even in a good situation, this is really sketchy for him because if I whip down, what I’m essentially doing is shoving this really hard this direction and popping the outside of his knee here, which is what happened to Figgy.”
The injury occurred during the second round at the 4:08 mark during a grappling exchange with legs entangled, giving Sandhagen the TKO victory.
“Sandhagen was dominant throughout,” remarked the commentary team as the bout concluded. “It’s the statement that Cory Sandhagen was looking to make.”
What many viewers didn’t know was that Figueiredo entered the bout far from his optimal condition. Speaking with Ag Fight after the match, Figueiredo revealed multiple setbacks during his preparation.
“I wasn’t 100% (at the time of the fight),” Figueiredo said in Portuguese. “Let me be clear, I was out of action for three weeks. I got hit in the jaw with a straight punch and my jaw dislocated. That prevented me from doing any serious sparring for a month. So, I was doing positions, doing mitt movements, to burn calories, to avoid being inactive.”
The Brazilian also detailed additional health issues: “And towards the end, during the trip, I got some scratches defending a takedown, I didn’t take proper care of them, and it got infected. I traveled on Saturday night at 2 a.m. with a high fever. I had a fever on Sunday, I had a fever on Monday and on Tuesday – the week of the fight – I still had a fever in the morning. I have a bacteria in my leg, I’m still taking antibiotics – the bacteria that caused the fever – and where you press with your finger, there’s a hole in my leg.”
Despite Figueiredo’s compromised condition, Sandhagen’s performance highlighted an important evolution in MMA strategy: the dangers of relying too heavily on a single submission attempt from bottom position.
For Sandhagen, who has been on the cusp of title contention multiple times, this victory could finally secure his opportunity to compete for UFC gold. His growth as a fighter has been remarkable, adding impressive grappling to his already formidable striking arsenal – a development many attribute to his training with submission specialist Ryan Hall.
The win demonstrated why many consider Sandhagen among the most well-rounded stars in what is arguably the sport’s most talented division. His ability to handle Figueiredo’s grappling while delivering punishing strikes showcased the multidimensional skill set required at the highest levels of modern MMA.
