Can the ‘God of War’ Stop the ‘Sandman’?
The UFC returns to Wells Fargo Arena, Des Moines, for UFC Fight Night: Cory Sandhagen vs. Deiveson Figueiredo. This is an electric battle between the fourth and fifth-ranked Bantamweight, with a great opportunity to put this name right in line for a potential title shot. The fight odds for this fight are exaggerated despite Figueiredo having a real good chance of taking the victory in this fight. Can the ‘Sandman' get back on track, or will the ‘God of War’ finally break through in the Bantamweight Division and earn himself a title shot?
Cory Sandhagen has always been thought of as one of the best strikers in the entire UFC. His style and ability to control the pace of the fight always make for an exciting contest. He showcased in his last fight against Umar Nurmagomedov that his wrestling and grappling abilities are no longer a weakness but a potential strength moving forward. In a fight like this, his pressure and takedown defense will allow him to keep the fight on the feet and in a range that could gain him a major advantage. With a two-inch range advantage, he will be able to use his jab and circle away from Figgy’s power effectively. Figgy has an underrated chin, so a knockout isn’t likely, but Cory, if he keeps the feet on the feet, he can outstrike the Brazilian en route to a unanimous decision victory.
Deiveson Figueiredo is one of the best Flyweight Champions of all time. He was always thought of as a weight bully, but since moving up in weight, he hasn’t lost a step and has looked impressive every time out. He is coming off a hard-fought loss against Petr Yan last time out after winning his first three fights at Bantamweight. In most of his Bantamweight fights, he has been able to overpower his opponents in the wrestling and grappling department. Also, his power has translated extremely well. His conditioning has always been a problem in his career, so if he can get his wrestling going early and wear down Cory early on, then the pressure and output on the feet could be in his favor. He has a dangerous right hand that could put anyone’s lights out. If he can close the distance and have Sandhagen on his back foot, he has a good chance of landing the knockout blow.
This is going to be an action-packed, hard-hitting affair and one that is not going to disappoint. Merab Dvalishvili rematches Sean O’Malley at UFC 316, a fight that is destined to be even better than the first one. That being said, the next challenger for the Bantamweight Championship is up for grabs, and these two fighters have a great chance with an impressive victory here to claim that spot. Whichever way this fight plays out, you don’t want to miss it this Saturday with a main card start time of 10:00 p.m. EDT.
