Cory Sandhagen delivered a performance at UFC Des Moines that strongly supports his claim for a shot at the bantamweight championship. In the main event, Sandhagen was dominating two-time flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo, seemingly en route to a clear victory, when the fight was unfortunately stopped in the second round due to an injury suffered by Figueiredo. Despite the anticlimactic finish, Sandhagen`s display left little doubt about his readiness for a title challenge.
With the bantamweight titleholder, Merab Dvalishvili, set to face Sean O’Malley in a rematch at UFC 316 on June 7, the key question now is whether Sandhagen will be recognized as the top contender and next in line for the winner. This analysis explores potential future matchups for several notable fighters who competed at the UFC Des Moines event.
Discussion includes prospective next opponents for Reinier de Ridder following his significant win over Bo Nickal, considering Nickal`s path forward after experiencing his first professional MMA loss, and evaluating possible future bouts for veteran welterweight Daniel Rodriguez, victorious bantamweights Montel Jackson and Serhiy Sidey, and the returning Mason Jones.
