Cory Sandhagen put on an impressive show at UFC on ESPN 67, defeating former champion Deiveson Figueiredo with a second-round TKO due to a knee injury. Right from the start, Sandhagen took control of the fight at Wells Fargo Arena, using sharp boxing and strategic leg strikes. Figueiredo, who moved up in weight hoping to gain another title, started off strong with a heel-hook move. However, in the second round, Sandhagen flipped the situation in his favor.
After knocking Figueiredo down, Sandhagen expertly moved into a tricky leg position called a 50/50. With pressure on Figueiredo’s leg, something went wrong and Figueiredo had to tap out at 4:08 of the round. Sandhagen jokingly said, “If you don’t know how to play 50/50, your knee gets popped. It happened to T.J. Dillashaw, and it happened to Figgy. I’m the best there.” This win takes Sandhagen’s record to 19–5, solidifying his spot among the best fighters in his division.
In his post-fight interview, he called for a fight against the winner of Merab Dvalishvili vs. Sean O’Malley at UFC 316, hoping to finally earn the title shot he has been aiming for. For Figueiredo, this loss is a tough blow in his quest for the bantamweight title and his knee injury might need more checks, putting his championship dreams on pause. UFC on ESPN 67 was a big moment for Sandhagen, proving he is truly “the Sandman” when it comes to leg attacks.
Cory Sandhagen Dismantles Figueiredo, Aiming for Bantamweight Title Shot
Leave a Reply