Enter Sandman: Why Cory Sandhagen’s Next Fight Is a Must Win
Cory Sandhagen will compete in his 15th UFC fight this Saturday, an impressive feat for any fighter. The mission for Sandhagen remains the same as it has been every time he steps into the Octagon: find a way to the UFC Bantamweight Championship. The Colorado native became a serious contender in the Bantamweight Division in 2019. Six years later, Sandhagen is yet to compete for undisputed gold. The increasing number of contenders in the Bantamweight Division, combined with Sandhagen’s age, means a win for ‘Sandman’ is vital if he wishes to contend for UFC gold.
UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs. Deiveson Figueiredo emanates live from Des Moines, Iowa. Cory Sandhagen takes on former UFC Flyweight Champion turned Bantamweight contender, Deiveson Figueiredo, in the main event. Despite what the odds tell us about this fight, Figueiredo is no easy opponent for Sandhagen. Deiveson Figueiredo made the jump to the Bantamweight Division in 2023. Figueiredo is coming off a loss to former Bantamweight Champion Petr Yan, which ended an impressive three-fight win streak for Figueiredo in the Bantamweight Division.
Stylistically, the Bantamweight main event between two title challengers should favor Sandhagen. Sandhagen’s striking has been elite since his debut. However, it is Sandhagen’s wrestling and grappling that could be the x-factor in this fight. Sandhagen has improved significantly on the ground, even using grappling to win his fight against Rob Font. It is the striking of Sandhagen that made him a fan favorite among the UFC fanbase, but when facing a physically imposing fighter such as Deiveson Figueiredo, being a competent grappler only increases your chances of winning.
Cory Sandhagen has all the tools to, at the very least, fight for the UFC Bantamweight Championship. On the other hand, Sandhagen does have a bleak history of coming up short in big fights. In 2020, Sandhagen competed in a title eliminator fight with future Bantamweight Champion Aljamain Sterling. Cory Sandhagen would be submitted in one round. Sandhagen would enter the biggest fight in his career when he would take on Petr Yan for the Interim UFC Bantamweight Championship. The fight remained close, but Sandhagen would ultimately lose via unanimous decision. In Sandhagen’s last fight, he would fall short of the then-undefeated Umar Nurmagomedov. Sandhagen’s next fight is the highest-pressure fight he can have. A loss to Figueiredo means Sandhagen can say goodbye to his championship aspirations. It’s officially all or nothing for the ‘Sandman.’
