Cory Sandhagen delivered a dominant performance in the UFC Des Moines main event, defeating Deiveson Figueiredo with a striking and grappling showcase that ended with Figueiredo tapping due to a knee injury, solidifying Sandhagen’s claim as a top contender for the bantamweight title.
Cory Sandhagen wasn’t leaving Iowa without making a championship statement. In the UFC Des Moines main event, “The Sandman” delivered a one-sided beatdown on Deiveson Figueiredo. His striking, wrestling, and grappling were on full display, ultimately forcing Figueiredo to tap due to a knee injury in Round 2. By then, Sandhagen had already solidified his status as arguably the No. 1 contender in the bantamweight division.
Sandhagen bounced back impressively from a loss to Umar Nurmagomedov. Another fighter who had beaten Sandhagen to earn a title shot. Now, Sandhagen is on a mission to convince matchmakers it’s his turn. With four wins in his last five fights, he used his microphone time to demand a championship opportunity from the UFC.
He wasn’t alone in this sentiment. Fellow fighter Brandon Royval tweeted, “Give Cory the next title shot!!! Dominant.” Check out more social media reactions to the UFC Des Moines main event below.
Chase Hooper chimed in, “Corey looked so sharp everywhere tonight! That angle must’ve hurt Figgy’s LCL. Had something similar happen in one of my fights.” Terrance McKinney added, “Sandhagen is definitely title ready, looked sharp as hell on the ground.”
Billy Quarantillo noted, “All that knee entanglement, I figured that could happen. Either way, great win for Cory was dominating.” Meanwhile, “Filthy” Tom Lawlor was amazed, “I have watched a large number of UFC fights and this may be the 1st time in HISTORY that I have seen a FINISH BY SWEEP. @corysandhagenx hit a great 50/50 sweep to get the win tonight.”