Cory “The Sandman” Sandhagen left Des Moines with a statement stoppage, halting former flyweight ruler Deiveson Figueiredo midway through round 2 and igniting fresh title talk in the crowded 135‑pound class. The Wells Fargo Arena crowd of 14 812 witnessed a frenetic card that produced five knockouts, three submissions and two bonus‑winning brawls — all wrapped in a tidy three‑hour broadcast that lived up to its UFC on ESPN recap billing. Below you’ll find the definitive Sandhagen vs Figueiredo results rundown, strike numbers, fighter quotes, highlight links and a quick bantamweight rankings update. Bookmark our schedule for the next UFC date, scan raw numbers on results, relive KOs on videos and see every divisional shuffle on rankings.
Table of Contents
Official Fight Card: Sandhagen vs Figueiredo Results
- Bantamweight – Cory Sandhagen def. Deiveson Figueiredo – TKO (injury) 4:08 R2 UFC
- Middleweight – Reinier de Ridder def. Bo Nickal – KO (knee to body) 1:53 R2 MMA Mania
- Welterweight – Daniel Rodriguez def. Santiago Ponzinibbio – TKO (punches) 1:12 R3 MMA Mania
- Bantamweight – Montel Jackson def. Daniel Marcos – unanimous decision 30‑27 ×3 MMA Mania
- Lightweight – Mike Davis def. Drakkar Klose – split decision 29‑28, 28‑29, 29‑28 UFC
- Women’s Strawweight – Tabatha Ricci def. Angela Hill – armbar 2:44 R1 UFC
- Featherweight – Steve Garcia def. Billy Quarantillo – KO (elbow) 0:55 R2 UFC
- Flyweight – Alex Perez def. Amir Albazi – unanimous decision 29‑28 ×2, 30‑27 UFC
Fight of the Night: Daniel Rodriguez vs Santiago Ponzinibbio
Performance of the Night: Cory Sandhagen, Reinier de Ridder MMA Mania
Main Event Breakdown
Sandhagen pressed forward in a southpaw stance, flicking calf kicks that forced the shorter Figueiredo to reset. He landed 46 significant strikes to the Brazilian’s 21 in round 1, then scored a trip in round 2 that led to the pivotal scramble. As Figueiredo exploded to stand, Sandhagen’s whizzer torqued the knee, producing an audible pop. Referee Herb Dean waved it off at 4:08 when “Deus da Guerra” collapsed, unable to bear weight. Official totals: Sandhagen 68 of 103 sig. strikes vs Figueiredo 32 of 71; takedowns 1‑for‑2 vs 0‑for‑3; control time 2:11 to 0:34. ESPN
Fighter Reactions
“I hate seeing it end on an injury, but the work before that spoke for itself,” Sandhagen told Daniel Cormier in the cage, immediately calling for the Dvalishvili‑O’Malley winner at UFC 316.
Figueiredo hobbled to the dais later: “The knee popped; Cory won fair. Give me surgery and I’ll be back.” MMA Mania
The official post‑fight release on UFC.com echoed those sentiments.
Impact on the Bantamweight Rankings
Sandhagen entered No. 4 and leapfrogs Sean O’Malley to No. 3 on our board, while Figueiredo falls one spot to No. 6 after the medical TKO. ESPN’s panel projects the same climb, noting Sandhagen’s 4‑0 streak since 2023. ESPN Fight Matrix already nudges him to No. 2 for strength‑of‑schedule metrics. A July title shot is realistic if injuries hit Dvalishvili or O’Malley. Full ladder on rankings.
Highlights & How to Watch the Replay
- Full replay streams now on ESPN+ for U.S. viewers, with individual finishes clipped on the UFC’s YouTube. ESPN
- International fans can catch the event on UFC Fight Pass 48 hours post‑airing.
FAQ
When is Sandhagen’s next fight likely to happen?
UFC matchmaker Sean Shelby hinted at September if the champ emerges unscathed at UFC 316; otherwise Sandhagen stays on standby. Bleacher Report
How severe is Figueiredo’s knee injury?
Initial diagnosis: torn MCL and possible meniscus damage; MRI results expected within a week. MMA Mania
Did the card change the bantamweight rankings update?
Yes — Sandhagen climbs to No. 3; Figueiredo slips to No. 6. See the full list on our rankings page.