Cory Sandhagen and Deiveson Figueiredo are all set to deliver an exciting experience as the main event of UFC Des Moines this weekend. This highly anticipated clash stands out not just because it features two fighters hungry for victory, but also because it’s a showdown between two elite, well-rounded fighting styles. The margin of error is slim, and one slip inside the Octagon can easily swing the fight either way.

The headliner of Des Moines is undoubtedly the most high-stakes match-up on the card. Sandhagen is currently ranked #4 in the bantamweight division, and he’ll face a formidable former 125lbs champ in the form of Figueiredo, who’s just trailing behind him at #5. It’s not a guarantee, but it’s looking like the winner of this fight might be one solid win away from getting a title shot in the near future. So, before we find that out this weekend, let’s see what the statistics are saying!

Cory Sandhagen vs. Deiveson Figueiredo: Head-to-head stats and record

Cory Sandhagen stands at 5′ 11″ tall, weighing 135 pounds, with a reach of 70”. ‘The Sandman’ is considered a big bantamweight because of his size and stature. His opponent, Deiveson Figueiredo, is comparatively a smaller individual, standing at 5′ 5″ tall,  with 68″ reach, and also weighing the same 135 pounds. So, the Colorado native will enjoy that 2-inch reach advantage. 

Both of these fighters are decades into their MMA career, and their professional records speak nothing but volumes about the countless wars they’ve been in. Sandhagen has 22 pro-MMA fights under his belt, with 17 wins and 5 losses. Out of his 17 wins, 7 are by knockouts, 3 are by submissions, and 7 are by decisions. His five losses consist of 4 decisions and 1 submission loss.

Figueiredo, on the other hand, has the experience of 29 bouts, which is more than his opponent, with 24 wins, and only 4 losses, and 1 draw against Brandon Moreno. He equally distributed his finishes between knockouts and submissions, each by 9, and also has 6 decision victories. Out of his 4 losses, 2 came via decisions, and the other 2 were by knockout and submission. 

In the striking department, Sandhagen lands 5.02 strikes per minute, gets hit with 3.46 per minute, with an accuracy of 44%, and with a striking defense of 56%. ‘Deus Da Guerra’ attacks with 2.91 strikes per minute, absorbs 3.55, with an accuracy and defense of 54% and 49%. Both fighters have healthy striking stats, considering their distinct ways of using them. Sandhagen enjoys volume, while Figueiredo backs more power and accuracy. 

On the ground, the Colorado native averages 1.19 takedowns per 15 minutes, with 32% accuracy, a very healthy 63% takedown defense, and 0.3 submission average. The Brazilian lands 1.62 average takedowns, with 34% accuracy, defends 60% of takedown attempts, with a 1.4 submission average. So, this shows that Figureiredo is statistically better in grappling than his opponent, even with the marginal difference in submission attempts. 

Other than a few areas, the stats are pretty much even between these two seasoned veterans. That just goes to show how close this fight could be. Now that we’re done with the whole numbers game, let’s move forward and get a feel for how the actual fight might play out!

Cory Sandhagen and Deiveson Figueiredo prediction

Cory Sandhagen is an absolute specialist in kickboxing. ‘The Sandman’ has a highlight reel flying knee knockout over a legend like Frankie Edgar. Also, before facing the loss against Umar Nurmagomedov, he displayed excellent creative striking and also the regular mix-up takedowns against Rob Font, Marlon Vera, and Song Yadong. 

The Colorado native uses his big stature and reach to snipe shots at his opponent. He’s got a wide array of kicks, which he mixes in well with his hands to completely overwhelm whoever’s in front of him. His skill set is further elevated by his solid defensive grappling, and he’s also sharpened his jiu-jitsu to the point where he can lock in some pretty slick submissions.

Dieveson Figueiredo has also looked amazing since the transition from flyweight to bantamweight. He racking up three solid wins over Font, Garbrandt, and Vera, before facing the loss against Petr Yan in his last fight. So, the former flyweight champion’s run has been amazing so far, and all thanks to his powerful striking and ability to get the back and choke his opponent out. 

The Brazilian didn’t waste any time proving to everyone that his flyweight championship experience can be tough to deal with. He has a very rigid and textbook approach to fights, which most of the time works against many tough opponents. His knockout power is not a secret to anyone, as he became the first fighter in the UFC to crack Marlon Vera’s iron chin.

To discuss the ways to victory for each fighter, Sandhagen needs to channel his inner Max Holloway and use a ton of spinning back kicks, head kicks, and body shots. He’s the taller fighter, so he should aim to snipe Figueiredo from a distance while defending the takedown attempts. However, the Brazilian needs to do the opposite. It’s going to be a little tough to manage the gas tank, but Figueiredo needs to force an exchange while mixing takedowns, so he can land overhand rights at the top. 

So, the prediction is: Cory Sandhagen wins this fight via unanimous decision. He’ll use his creative, distance-based striking, answer every question Deiveson Figueiredo throws at him, and walk away with the win. That being said, who are you favoring in this matchup? Drop your pick in the comments below!