While primarily known for his striking prowess, Cory Sandhagen displayed formidable grappling skills on Saturday night in the UFC Des Moines main event. He secured a victory against Deiveson Figueiredo by capitalizing on a ground reversal that resulted in Figueiredo suffering a significant knee injury, bringing the fight to an end.
The sequence leading to the stoppage was a direct consequence of continuous positional battling between the two bantamweights. Sandhagen executed a roll from a seated position, effectively trapping Figueiredo`s leg as he advanced. As Sandhagen transitioned to striking from the top, Figueiredo immediately reacted with visible pain and tapped out moments later.
Replays confirmed the severity of the injury, showing Figueiredo`s knee twisting unnaturally during the grappling exchange that concluded the bout at 4:08 of the second round.
Commenting on the finish, Sandhagen, who has trained extensively under noted grappler Ryan Hall, explained, “If you don`t understand how to defend in the 50/50 position, you risk injuring your knee. It`s happened before. If you don`t know how to play that position, you lose, and I`m better there. I guided him into it, sat up, and it popped. That`s the reality of the position.”
Despite the fight being anticipated as a stand-up war, Figueiredo seemingly intended to leverage his wrestling and submission abilities to disrupt Sandhagen`s rhythm.
An early takedown attempt by Figueiredo was swiftly countered by Sandhagen, who then unleashed heavy ground and pound. Although Figueiredo attempted to maintain the position for a submission threat, Sandhagen`s physical attributes provided him the space needed to land powerful strikes from the top.
In the second round, a solid right hand from Figueiredo briefly caught Sandhagen`s attention, but this success was fleeting as the Brazilian again initiated grappling exchanges. Sandhagen quickly reversed positions and skillfully scrambled to avoid danger, consistently landing strikes on Figueiredo throughout their engagements.
Despite his persistent efforts, Figueiredo struggled to pose a significant submission threat from the ground, frequently targeting Sandhagen`s legs. Sandhagen remained composed, successfully escaping danger each time before following up with strikes.
The final grappling sequence again involved tangled legs, but Sandhagen exploited the situation with a roll into top position, which is when Figueiredo`s knee apparently gave way. Sandhagen began striking but immediately recognized Figueiredo`s distress, leading to the tap and the fight`s conclusion.
This victory was particularly crucial for Sandhagen, providing a significant rebound after his previous bout loss to Umar Nurmagomedov.
Reflecting on the win, he stated, “A loss provides significant motivation. I have a strong team supporting me. I`m determined to become champion eventually. It requires continuous effort. This was a crucial victory for me, and I`m thankful for it.”
With this performance, Sandhagen believes he has firmly positioned himself for the next opportunity at the bantamweight title. This comes at a relevant time, as champion Merab Dvalishvili is scheduled to defend his belt in a rematch against Sean O`Malley at UFC 316 in June.
Publicly addressing the potential title contenders, Sandhagen declared, “Sean O`Malley, Merab, I want the winner. I`m even willing to be the backup fighter if they want. Becoming a world champion has been my dream for over half my life. UFC, please grant me the chance to demonstrate my capabilities on the global stage.”
Wesley Dunham