Cory Sandhagen certainly made a championship-level statement during his time in Iowa.
Headlining the UFC Des Moines event, “The Sandman” delivered a comprehensive beating to Deiveson Figueiredo. He showcased a well-rounded attack, demonstrating superior striking, wrestling, and grappling skills against the former two-time flyweight champion. The fight concluded in the second round when Figueiredo was forced to tap out due to a knee injury. However, by that point, Sandhagen had already proven more than enough to solidify his position as potentially the number one contender in the bantamweight division.
This victory was a significant rebound for Sandhagen, following his previous loss to Umar Nurmagomedov – another fighter who earned a title shot after defeating Sandhagen. Now, Sandhagen is clearly focused on convincing the UFC matchmakers that it is unequivocally his turn for a championship opportunity. After securing his fourth win in his last five fights, he used his post-fight microphone time to explicitly demand a title shot from the organization.
His strong performance and title aspirations resonated widely within the MMA community. He wasn`t alone in his sentiment, as fellow fighter Brandon Royval voiced his support on social media, tweeting:
“Give Cory the next title shot!!! Dominant.”
Sandhagen`s performance sparked numerous reactions among professional fighters and fans alike.
