Cory Sandhagen made a strong statement in the UFC’s bantamweight division, reentering the title mix after defeating Deiveson Figueiredo via second-round stoppage due to injury—an outcome Sandhagen insists was the result of calculated technique, not luck.
The headlining bout at UFC on ESPN 67 took place at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Iowa, where Sandhagen (18-5 MMA, 11-4 UFC) pushed a relentless pace that proved difficult for Figueiredo (24-5-1 MMA, 13-5-1 UFC) to keep up with. At 4:08 of Round 2, the fight was waved off after Figueiredo submitted due to a knee injury sustained during a grappling exchange.
The fight began with a measured striking battle, followed by Sandhagen testing Figueiredo in the clinch. While neither man secured a takedown in the early moments, Figueiredo did land a crisp uppercut on the break. Shortly afterward, the fighters ended up on the ground following a scramble in the center of the Octagon.
Figueiredo looked to attack with an ankle lock, but Sandhagen defended effectively and responded with heavy strikes from top position. Despite Figueiredo’s persistence with leg attacks, Sandhagen continued to punish him with ground-and-pound.
Round 2 saw Sandhagen maintain his offensive momentum with sharp striking combinations. Although Figueiredo found some success with counters, Sandhagen's output and pressure were dominant. A well-timed takedown brought the action back to the mat, where both fighters scrambled for position. During the sequence, Sandhagen gained top control and, in the process, Figueiredo’s left knee was injured.
A few ground strikes later, Figueiredo tapped out, signaling the end of the fight. In his post-fight comments, Sandhagen emphasized that the injury was no fluke, attributing it to his grappling expertise and fight IQ.
"It wasn't a shame," Sandhagen said. "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 just don't know how to play that position, you lose, and I'm better there. I put him there, I sat up, it popped, and that's how it goes."
Ranked No. 4 in the UFC’s bantamweight division heading into the bout, Sandhagen used his post-fight spotlight to make his case for a title opportunity. He expressed interest in serving as a backup fighter or facing the winner of the upcoming championship rematch between Sean O’Malley and Merab Dvalishvili, scheduled for UFC 316 on June 7.
"I've dreamed of being a world champion for more than half of my life now," Sandhagen said. "UFC, please give me an opportunity to show how great I am to the whole world, please."
The victory puts Sandhagen back on track following a unanimous decision loss to Umar Nurmagomedov last August, which snapped his previous three-fight win streak that included victories over Song Yadong, Marlon Vera, and Rob Font. On the other side, former flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo, who had found momentum in recent outings, now suffers his second straight defeat.
