Cory Sandhagen left a clear championship statement in Iowa.
Headlining the UFC Des Moines event, “The Sandman” delivered a completely one-sided performance against Deiveson Figueiredo, a former two-time flyweight champion. Sandhagen showcased his superior striking, wrestling, and grappling skills. Figueiredo was eventually forced to concede defeat in the second round due to a knee injury, but by that point, Sandhagen had already demonstrated more than enough to legitimately stake his claim as arguably the number one contender in the bantamweight division.
This victory marked an impressive rebound for Sandhagen following his loss to Umar Nurmagomedov – interestingly, another fighter who received a title shot after defeating Sandhagen. Now, with his fourth win in his last five fights secured, Sandhagen is determined that it is his turn for a championship opportunity. He used his post-fight interview time to make a direct demand to the UFC matchmakers for a title shot.
Sandhagen is not alone in this feeling. Fellow fighter Brandon Royval expressed the same sentiment publicly, tweeting: “Give Cory the next title shot!!! Dominant.”
