Known more for his striking prowess, Cory Sandhagen demonstrated impressive grappling skills on Saturday night. He secured a critical reversal during a ground exchange at the UFC Des Moines main event, an action that resulted in Deiveson Figueiredo suffering a severe knee injury and the fight ending.
The maneuver that stopped the bout was a deliberate result of the ongoing positional battle between the two bantamweight contenders. Sandhagen executed a roll from a seated guard position, and as he advanced, Figueiredo’s leg became trapped beneath him. As soon as Sandhagen gained top control and started throwing punches, Figueiredo was clearly in pain and tapped out within moments.
Replays showed the visibly distressing way Figueiredo’s knee appeared to hyperextend after Sandhagen secured the leg trap during the grappling sequence that concluded the fight at 4:08 of the second round.
Reflecting on the victory and the injury, Sandhagen commented on the specific technique involved, noting his extensive training under renowned grappling coach Ryan Hall:
If you don’t know how to play 50/50, your knee gets popped. It happened to T.J. [Dillashaw], it happened to Figgy. If you don’t know how to play that position, you lose and I’m better there. I put him there, I sat up and it popped. That’s how it goes.
Although the fight was widely anticipated to be primarily a stand-up striking contest, Figueiredo seemingly felt confident in using his wrestling and submission game to disrupt Sandhagen’s rhythm.
An early takedown attempt by Figueiredo was successfully defended by Sandhagen, who then unleashed effective ground and pound. While Figueiredo attempted to hold the position to seek a submission from the bottom, Sandhagen’s physical advantages allowed him space to land significant strikes from the top position.
In the second round, a solid right hand from Figueiredo briefly caught Sandhagen`s attention, but this success was short-lived as the Brazilian quickly returned to grappling. Sandhagen was quick to reverse positions, consistently scrambling to avoid danger while simultaneously landing punches on Figueiredo whenever possible.
Despite his persistent efforts, Figueiredo never truly posed a significant threat to Sandhagen on the ground, although he repeatedly attempted to grab legs in search of a submission. Sandhagen remained composed, effectively defending and escaping these attempts, before resuming his striking attack.
The final grappling exchange once again saw the fighters` legs tangled. This time, Sandhagen capitalized with a roll to achieve a seated posture, which coincided with Figueiredo`s apparent knee injury. Sandhagen began striking, but quickly recognized Figueiredo was hurt, leading to the immediate tap that ended the bout.
This victory was exactly the kind of decisive performance Sandhagen needed, particularly after his previous loss to Umar Nurmagomedov.
Nothing fires you up like a loss. I got a really good team behind me. I’m going to be champ one day. I’ve just got to keep working, working, working. That was a big ‘W’ for me. I’m just grateful for it.
With this win, Sandhagen believes he has positioned himself perfectly for the next opportunity at the bantamweight championship. He specifically highlighted the upcoming rematch between champion Merab Dvalishvili and Sean O’Malley at UFC 316 in June, indicating his readiness to face the winner.
Sean O’Malley, Merab, I want the winner. I’ll be the backup if they want. I’ve dreamed of being a world champion for more than half of my life now. UFC, please give me an opportunity to show how great I am to the whole world, Please.
