Cory Sandhagen is intent on fulfilling his dreams. Often the bridesmaid but never the bride, Sandhagen put forth one of his most impressive wins to date, dismantling former UFC flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo in the main event of UFC Fight Night. On Saturday, Sandhagen nailed his audition for an undisputed UFC title shot.
“I’ve dreamed of being a world champion for more than half my life now,” Sandhagen said after his second-round TKO win in Des Moines, Iowa. “UFC, please, give me an opportunity to show how great I am to the whole world. Please.”
Sandhagen pitched a perfect game against Figueiredo. “The Sandman” shut down Figueiredo’s leg lock attempts, rained down strikes and arguably won a 10-8 first round. Figueiredo’s fruitless commitment to leg attacks was unusual and inevitably his downfall. In Round 2, while tangled in a 50-50 position induced by leg attacks, Sandhagen reversed positions. Figueiredo quickly submitted while shouting in pain. The referee ruled the fight a TKO win for Sandhagen due to injury.
Sandhagen (18-5) has lost four times in the UFC. Each time, the person who beat him subsequently fought for the UFC bantamweight title. A decisive win on Saturday, even with the unusual stoppage, was crucial after losing to Umar Nurmagomedov, UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili’s last title challenger.
“Nothing fires you up like a loss. I have a really good team behind me,” Sandhagen said. “We work are butts off. I’m going to be a champion one day.
“I’m ready to win that belt. Sean O’Malley or Merab, I want the winner. I’ll be the backup if they want.”
While Sandhagen presses on in his bantamweight title campaign, Figueiredo (24-5-1) must heal and reassess. There’s a meaningful gap between former two-time flyweight champ Figueiredo and the bantamweight crown. He started his 135-pound campaign with three consecutive wins, but now contends with two straight losses and seemingly an injury.
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