Top-five ranked bantamweights will square off when fourth-ranked Cory Sandhagen battles fifth-ranked Deiveson Figueiredo to highlight the main card of UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs. Figueiredo on Saturday night. UFC makes its return to Iowa for the first time in 25 years and for just the third time ever when it heads to Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Iowa. The preliminary UFC fight card is expected to get underway around 7 p.m. ET, with the main card starting around 10 p.m. ET. Sandhagen is a two-time Performance of the Night winner, while Figueiredo is a two-time UFC flyweight champion.
Sandhagen is a -550 favorite (risk $550 to win $100), while Figueiredo is priced at +400 (risk $100 to win $400) in the latest UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs. Figueiredo odds, with that fight listed at -185 to go the distance. Also on the main card, middleweight fighters take the spotlight when Reinier De Ridder (+260) takes on Bo Nickal (-340). Before making any UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs. Figueiredo picks, make sure you see the MMA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine expert Daniel Vithlani.
Vithlani is a highly-analytical UFC bettor who has been a consistent winner for SportsLine members since making his debut in January 2023 with a 5-0 record for UFC 283. In fact, he’s up over $1,500 on his UFC main-card sports betting picks.
Now, Vithlani has studied Cory Sandhagen vs. Deiveson Figueiredo from every angle and revealed his top betting picks and best bets.
Sandhagen vs. Figueiredo preview
Sandhagen, 33, is coming off a unanimous decision loss to Umar Nurmagomedov in a UFC bantamweight title eliminator bout last August at UFC on ABC: Sandhagen vs. Nurmagomedov. It snapped a three-bout winning streak. Sandhagen began his professional career in May 2015, when he defeated Bruce Sessman at FTW: Prize Fighting Championship 9. He went on to win his first five bouts, before suffering a unanimous decision loss to Jamall Emmers at Legacy Fighting Alliance 5 in February 2017.
A year later, he joined UFC, where he ran his record to 8-1 after a knockout of Austin Arnett at UFC on Fox: Jacare vs. Brunson 2 on Jan. 27, 2018. In 22 career matches, he has compiled a 17-5 mark. He has seven wins by knockout, three by submission and seven by decision. He was a UFC 2021 President’s Choice Fight of the Year nominee for his performance against Petr Yan, when he lost by unanimous decision for the interim UFC bantamweight championship at UFC 267. Check out SportsLine to see his picks and analysis.
Figueiredo, 37, has had a lot of success throughout his career, including earning several Fighter of the Year honors, including the 2020 UFC.com Fighter of the Year. He began his professional career in February 2012, when he defeated Aluisio Ferreira by submission at Knock Out Combat Icoaraci 3 in Belem, Brazil. He proceeded to win his first 11 bouts before joining UFC in 2017. He went on to win his first four UFC matches, before losing by unanimous decision to Jussier Formiga at UFC Fight Night: Thompson vs. Pettis in March 2019.
He rebounded with a unanimous decision win over Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 240 in July 2019, earning Fight of the Night honors. In 29 career matches, he has registered a record of 24-4-1. He has nine wins by knockout, nine by submission and six by decision. He also has one draw. He won the vacant UFC Flyweight Championship and earned Performance of the Night with a technical submission win over Joseph Benavidez at UFC Fight Night: Figueiredo vs. Benavidez 2 in July 2020. You can only see his picks and analysis at SportsLine.
UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs. Figueiredo predictions
We’ll reveal one of Vithlani’s UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs. Figueiredo selections here: Gillian Robertson (-340 at FanDuel Sportsbook) to defeat Marina Rodriguez (+250) in a women’s strawweight matchup on the preliminary card.
“The grappler Robertson will take on a skilled boxer in Rodriguez,” Vithlani told SportsLine. “This will be Robertson’s highest-level opponent to date, but her grappling advantage should carry her to the win. Robertson has steadily improved her boxing and can now use her punches to set up takedowns. Although Rodriguez is clearly the more skilled and experienced striker, she constantly struggles against talented grapplers. Rodriguez is 1-4 in her last five fights and is now 38 years old. Robertson is too large of a favorite to warrant a wager, so I’ll look to play her in the prop market. I like Robertson to win this fight by decision.” See who else to back here.
UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs. Figueiredo main fight card, odds
Vithlani has strong picks for Sandhagen vs. Figueiredo and other bouts on the UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs. Figueiredo card. He’s also backing a fighter who “will engage in a grappling-heavy affair.” He’s sharing who it is only at SportsLine.
Who wins UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs. Figueiredo, and how exactly does the fight end? Visit SportsLine now to get detailed picks and analysis from the incomparable expert who is up over $1,500 on his UFC main-card picks, and find out.
UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs. Figueiredo main fight card, odds
See picks at SportsLine.
Cory Sandhagen (-550) vs. Deiveson Figueiredo (+400)
Reinier De Ridder (+260) vs. Bo Nickal (-340)
Santiago Ponzinibbio (-125) vs. Daniel Rodriguez (+100)
Montel Jackson (-205) vs. Daniel Marcos (+170)
Cameron Smotherman (+115) vs. Serhiy Sidey (-135)
Jeremy Stephens (+425) vs. Mason Jones (-575)
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