The UFC is in Des Moines, Iowa, for Saturday’s UFC Fight Night card. In the main event of the UFC Des Moines fight card, former interim UFC bantamweight title challenger Cory Sandhagen faces ex-UFC flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo in a 135-pound matchup. In the high-stakes co-main event, Reiner de Ridder faces Bo Nickal in a middleweight contest that will leave one fighter with their first loss under the UFC banner. Below, we look at betting odds, line movement, picks, and predictions for the Sandhagen vs. Figueiredo matchup.
UFC Des Moines Main Event: Cory Sandhagen Vs. Deiveson Figueiredo
Cory Sandhagen (17-5) joined the UFC in 2018 with a 7-1 record. He went unbeaten in his first five fights with the promotion. That run, culminating with decision wins over John Lineker and Raphael Assuncao, earned the then 28-year-old the No. 4 ranking in the UFC’s 135 weight class and a matchup against the No. 2 ranked Aljamain Sterling.
The slick Sterling submitted Sandhagen in the first round, earning himself a shot at the UFC bantamweight title, a belt he won in his next outing. As for Sandhagen, the submission setback did not hurt him in the rankings, as he remained at No. 4.
Following his first UFC loss, the UFC booked Sandhagen against the No. 1 ranked Marlon Moraes. Sandhagen won that fight and a “Performance of the Night” bonus with a highlight-reel spinning wheel kick KO.
That stunning stoppage earned Sandhagen the No. 2 ranking in the division and a fight against former UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar. Sandhagen dispatched Edgar with a vicious flying knee 28 seconds into that bout. He again earned a “Performance of the Night” bonus for his effort.
A decision loss to former UFC bantamweight champ T.J. Dillashaw followed Sandhagen’s win over Edgar. He then faced ex-135-pound champ Petr Yan for the interim UFC bantamweight belt in October 2021. The scrap was “Fight of the Night” on the UFC 267 pay-per-view card, but Yan picked up the victory and the belt via unanimous decision.
Following that setback, Sandhagen, who is now 33, was on a three-fight winning streak with victories over Song Yadong, Marlon “Chito” Vera, and Rob Font. Sandhagen saw that run come to a halt in August 2024 when he dropped a decisionto Umar Nurmagomedov in a bantamweight title eliminator.
Sandhagen is the No. 4 fighter in the official UFC bantamweight rankings.
Deiveson Figueiredo (24-4-1) is a former two-time UFC flyweight champion. The 36-year-old first claimed UFC gold in July 2020 when he scored a submission over Joseph Benavidez. He defended the title twice, beating Alex Perez and fighting Brandon Moreno to a draw. Figueiredo surrendered the belt to Moreno in a June 2021 rematch, losing by submission.
Figueiredo regained the 125-pound title in January 2020 when he defeated Moreno via decision. The two met for a fourth time in January 2023. Moreno regained the belt in that matchup, winning via doctor stoppage TKO.
The loss to Moreno was Figueiredo’s final fight at 125 pounds. The 36-year-old moved up to bantamweight in December 2023, defeating Rob Font by decision in that scrap. After that, Figueiredo picked up two more wins at 135, submitting former UFC champ Cody Garbrandt and beating recent UFC title challenger Marlon “Chito” Vera by decision in August.
Figueiredo’s winning ways ended in November when he lost to former UFC bantamweight champion Petr Yan via decision.
Figueiredo enters UFC Des Moines as the No. 5 fighter in the UFC’s bantamweight division.
UFC Des Moines Main Event: Cory Sandhagen Vs. Deiveson Figueiredo Odds And Line Movement
When the betting odds opened on BetOnline for the UFC Des Moines main event, Sandhagen was a -235 betting favorite over the +200 Figueiredo. Today, Sandhagen has surged to a -600 favorite over the +425 Figueiredo.
UFC Des Moines Main Event: Cory Sandhagen Vs. Deiveson Figueiredo Tale Of The Tape
Cory Sandhagen
Age: 33
Height: 5’ 11”
Reach: 70”
Stance: Switch
Deiveson Figueiredo
Age: 37
Height: 5’ 5”
Reach: 68”
Stance: Orthodox
UFC Des Moines Main Event: Cory Sandhagen Vs. Deiveson Figueiredo Prediction And Pick
The shift in the odds on this matchup are telling. Sandhagen has been an elite bantamweight for a long while, and while Figueiredo was a UFC champ, he earned his belt at 135 pounds. He gives up a lot of size in this fight, and Sandhagen is a competitor who uses his length well. Figueiredo was an excellent flyweight and he is a better than average bantamweight, but he will struggle against elite 135-pound fighters. Sandhagen is an elite 135-pounder.
The betting pick is Cory Sandhagen to beat Deiveson Figueiredo via decision.
We will have more on the UFC Des Moines fight card, including results and reactions on fight night.
