“I know it sounds crazy—and it’s fight week—but I would gladly die in there,” said Cory Sandhagen ahead of his showdown with Deiveson Figueiredo at UFC Des Moines. And in that cage, he fought like he meant it. The former flyweight king marched in like a battle-hardened general, but the reality hit fast and hard. ‘The Sandman’ didn’t just outstrike Figueiredo—he overwhelmed him, dropping bombs until a brutal sequence led to a knee injury that forced a second-round stoppage. As the dust settled, Figueiredo came forward to release the first statement about his loss.

Taking to his Instagram handle, Figueiredo added a photo of himself and captioned his post with one specific promise, “The result is not always what we want, but the fight goes on. Thank you from the heart to God, my family, my team, and all of you who cheer, support, and believe in me. We will come back stronger. I’m a warrior, and this is just another chapter of my story!”

Figueiredo was coming off a loss and desperately needed a win, but Sandhagen had other plans for him. ‘The Sandman’ had one thing in his mind, and that was to get the victory no matter what.  From the opening bell, ‘The Sandman’ showed no mercy to ‘Deus da Guerra.’ He threw leg kicks like whips, threw hands like bazookas, which caught the Brazilian off guard. Figueiredo did manage to land a takedown early and even threatened Sandhagen with a choke, but none of it was enough to rock ‘The Sandman.

Deiveson Figueiredo was looking to take Sandhaged to the ground, but ‘The Sandman’ knew exactly what he had to do. The 17-5 fighter endured Figueiredo’s early leg lock attempts and responded with relentless ground-and-pound. By the end of round 1, ‘Deus da Guerra’ showed signs of wear and tear.

Round two started with another leg lock attempt, but this time Sandhagen reversed the attempt and hammered the Brazilian with fists. In the end knee gave out, visibly twisting on replay. The referee stopped the fight at 4:08 of Round 2, gifting the victory to Sandhagen. As Figueiredo suffers his second back-to-back defeat, what’s next for the former flyweight champion? Let’s find out.

What will come for Deiveson Figueiredo after UFC Des Moines?

Deiveson Figueiredo is currently on a two-fight losing streak against two of the bantamweight division’s top contenders—Petr Yan and Cory Sandhagen. When the Brazilian initially moved up to the division, things seemed to be going in his favor as he successfully navigated past Marlon Vera and Cody Garbrandt. However, the sands of the bantamweight division now appear to be slipping through his fingers.

So, what’s next? Deiveson Figueiredo has been fighting back-to-back over the past few years. Last year alone, the former champ fought three times. These continuous challenges have taken a heavy toll on him, so he might consider taking a break before stepping into the Octagon again. However, if he decides to return, a fight against Song Yadong or Mario Bautista could be on the cards.

Interestingly, the fighter has also expressed interest in moving back to the flyweight division, provided that he clashes with the reigning champion Alexandre Pantoja.“Since [Pantoja] is looking for someone, I think I’m the best option. I’m available man.In my entire career in the UFC, I only missed weight once… If I have to make weight, I’ll go there and fulfill my commitment… And our first fight wasn’t easy for [Pantoja]. It was a three-round fight and I certainly won all three,” Figueiredo said after Pantoja successfully defended his title against Kai Asakura.

Will it be better for the Brazilian to climb back to the flyweight division, or will it be better for him to stay at the bantamweight division and take a rest before coming back? What are your thoughts on Deiveson Figueiredo? State your opinion in the comments below.