UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs. Figueiredo Preview and Predictions

Iowa plays host to the Octagon this weekend as the UFC puts on UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs. Figueiredo. Cory Sandhagen fell back in the rankings after having a three-fight winning streak snapped in his last fight by Umar Nurmagomedov. He looks to recapture some of the momentum he had built by getting past a former flyweight champion. Deiveson Figueiredo was increasingly struggling to make the 125-pound flyweight championship limit and decided to make the move up a weight class. Since moving up, he has had a great deal of success, winning his first three bouts at bantamweight. Like Sandhagen, he also had a setback en route to a shot at the title that came in the form of a loss to Petr Yan.

The co-main event has many fans with their fingers crossed that we will get to see two of the best ground fighters on Earth do battle on the canvas and avoid standing and striking for three rounds. Bo Nickal is arguably the best wrestler inside the UFC right now and is unbeaten as an MMA fighter. He takes on former two-division ONE Championship titleholder Reinier de Ridder. De Ridder has scored submission wins in both of his first two UFC bouts, and a third straight submission win over a highly touted prospect like Nickal would immediately move him into the mix as a top contender.

The event airs live on ESPN+ starting at 7 p.m. ET. Combat Press writers Andrew Sumian and Matt Petela preview the action in this week’s Toe-toe-Toe.

Both Cory Sandhagen and Deiveson Figueiredo have losses on their record to Petr Yan; which bantamweight wins and reasserts himself in the title conversation?

Sumian: This is all going to come down to Deiveson Figueiredo being able to finish Corry Sandhagen before the final bell. There is simply no way the 37-year-old Brazilian has the cardio or capacity to go five rounds with the likes of Sandhagen. Sandhagen will have a significant reach, length, cardio and movement advantage in this fight, and it will be up to Figgy to chase him down and land a big shot to close the show.

At this point, it is unlikely either of these combatants will ever hold the UFC bantamweight title. Figgy is quietly approaching the end of his career. He will go down as one of the most exciting fighters to ever compete at 125 and 135 pounds, but it is hard to imagine him finding a way to title contention after suffering a one-sided loss to Petr Yan in 2024. Still, the former flyweight champion is certainly capable of finishing anyone in the top 15 at 135, but it will only get harder as he continues to age and slow down.

Sandhagen will probably go down as one of the best bantamweights in MMA history that never won a belt. He has lost two title eliminator fights and was decisively defeated by Petr Yan for the interim championship back in Oct. 2021. Every time I believe that Sandhagen is about to take the next step, he fumbles it to another top contender. Out of the two, he is more likely to fight for a title, but that ship is slowly sailing away. A win over Figgy is crucial, if he hopes to keep his top-five ranking in the division.

This is some awesome matchmaking in the sense that both fighters are truly exciting to watch. However, I expect this to look similar to Figgy’s last fight against Yan. Sandhagen is going to be way too tall, elusive, and crafty for the Brazilian to catch, and he is going to slow down considerably in the fourth and fifth rounds. Sandhagen will outwork the former champion and win a 49-46 unanimous decision.

Petela: The UFC simply has too many events. This fight should have people excited to watch two of the most talented fighters in the world get after it for 25 minutes. However, with fight card after fight card, it gets lost in a huge pile of fights that happen without the fanfare they deserve.

Now that my complaining is out of the way, I will have to largely agree with Andrew. Sandhagen is going to utilize his reach advantage to stay out of danger and point-fight his way to a decision. He will have Figueiredo swinging at air and exhausting himself before the fourth and fifth rounds. It will probably take place mostly on the feet, and will be full of action, but might lack the excitement of a slugfest.

The co-main event features two very different fighters stylistically who both like the fight on the mat; will Bo Nickal’s elite wrestling nullify the submission grappling of Reinier de Ridder?

Petela: This one has me puzzled. I don’t know if Nickal is going to be able to smother de Ridder for fifteen minutes, or if de Ridder is going to find an opening to snatch up something sneaky off his back to score a submission. My one hope is that it doesn’t turn into a mediocre kickboxing fight, because neither man wants to commit to the danger on the ground.

I think RDR will shock a lot of people and get the job done. Nickal is an absolute monster of a wrestler, but even the best wrestler in the world can leave one inch of space and get caught. That’s what I think happens, Nickal will be implementing his game plan until he takes his eye off the ball for an instant, and then he winds up getting forced to tap or have his arm broken.

Sumian: You wanted a test, you got a test. This could easily be the main event of another UFC Fight Night. The main and co-main events of this card make for one of the best one-two punches we have seen on a Fight Night in some time. Reinier de Ridder has looked nothing short of fantastic since making his UFC debut back in Nov. 2024, and he has quickly earned himself a top-15 middleweight ranking. Despite fighting backwards in the rankings, this is one of the most high-profile opponents he could take on at 185 pounds. For Bo Nickal, this will officially begin the climb towards the UFC middleweight championship. A win over de Ridder will lead to a top-15 ranking and more than likely a top-10 opponent for his next UFC appearance.

I am somewhat shocked that the UFC gave into this fight. It is a very risky move given how much popularity Nickal has in the world of MMA. However, he is in need of a breakout performance after his decision victory over Paul Craig at UFC 309. My brain tells me de Ridder’s experience will be too much for the wrestling sensation. However, I am going with Nickal here. He will rise to the occasion, and fighting an opponent of de Ridder’s caliber will bring out the best in him. This should be an incredible grappling match from start to finish, and the end result will be a 29-28 unanimous decision victory for Nickal.

What one fighter’s UFC career is on the ropes at this event?

Sumian: Don’Tale Mayes needs a win. He is 3-1 in his last four UFC appearances, and a loss to Thomas Petersen will surely send him packing. The heavyweight division is in desperate need of new blood, and fast.

Petela: Santiago Ponzinibbio. He is coming off a win, but he had lost two straight before that, and, at 38 years old, his best days are definitely in the rearview mirror. His opponent Daniel Rodriguez is also in major need of a win, so it wouldn’t shock me if the loser of this fight lost his spot on the roster.

Which fight is the sleeper match-up on this card?

Petela: Marina Rodriguez vs. Gillian Robertson. This fight should be fun.
Rodriguez is a dangerous striker who utilizes her reach to crack her opponents at the end of her punches. Robertson is a very talented grappler, who is not afraid of everyone knowing her game plan and forcing them to try and stop her from putting it into play.

Sumian: The bantamweight showdown between Montel Jackson and Daniel Marcos could easily steal the show on Saturday. Jackson is on a five-fight winning streak and has quickly established himself as one of the most exciting up-and-comers in the division. On the other hand, Marcos is 15-0-1 in his MMA career and looking to get his shot at the top-15 rankings. This is going to be a fun one from start to finish.

Who takes home the “Performance of the Night” honors?

Sumian: The winner of Jeremy Stephens vs. Mason Jones. Someone is getting knocked out in this fight, and it is probably Stephens. However, I am not counting out the ”Lil Heathen” just yet and expect this to be a crazy back and forth slugfest.

Petela: Gaston Bolanos. I have faith that the standout kickboxer will deliver a great performance this weekend. He hasn’t had the type of success that I thought he would inside the UFC but I’ve got a feeling that he has it all dialed in on Saturday and gets a monstrous knockout win over Quang Le.

Pair this card with…

Petela: Snow crab legs. This card might be going under the radar for many fans, but it’s going to have a number of high quality bouts. Plus, it’s got some older veterans who just might snap in half just like you have to do to get the meat out of the crab.

Sumian: I have been doing some research, and, apparently, Iowa is known for their pork tenderloin sandwiches. Find a local spot that can dish out a delicious pork tenderloin sandwich and enjoy a night of fights that will surely be one of the best Fight Nights of 2025.