Bantamweights Cory Sandhagen and Deiveson Figueiredo are anticipated to conflict in the principle occasion of the upcoming UFC Des Moines card on Might 3, which marks the return of the promotion to Iowa for the primary time in 25 years.
A number of individuals with data of the promotion’s plans confirmed the information to MMA Combating on Thursday. The battle was initially reported by Leonardo Guimarães on social media.
The battle serves as Sandhagen’s first look since dropping a call to Umar Nurmagomedov this previous August, which ended his three-fight win streak. Previous to that setback, Sandhagen had rattled off victories over Rob Font, Chito Vera and Music Yadong.
Now he’ll look to get again on monitor whereas dealing with off with Figueiredo, who additionally tasted defeat in his most up-to-date look within the UFC when he fell to former bantamweight champion Petr Yan this previous November.
Figueiredo had been on a tear at bantamweight previous to that battle with three wins in a row together with victories over Vera and former champion Cody Garbrandt.
Additionally on the cardboard, Bo Nickal makes his return to motion within the co-main occasion as he faces former ONE Championship two-division champion Reinier de Ridder. Nickal stays undefeated as knowledgeable since transitioning to MMA from wrestling whereas de Ridder has gone 2-0 with a pair of finishes since becoming a member of the UFC roster in 2024.
Jeremy Stephens can be returning to the UFC in a shocking addition as he fights Mason Jones in a light-weight battle on the cardboard. Stephens is a local of Iowa so he’s going house for the cardboard whereas additionally preventing within the UFC for the primary time since 2021.
Stephens most not too long ago made waves in BKFC the place he scored a end over Eddie Alvarez however now he’s going again to the UFC for his battle in Des Moines.
Sandhagen vs. Figueiredo is ready to headline the UFC card in Des Moines because the group returns to an previous stomping floor for the promotion after Iowa served as a breeding floor for a few of the prime fighters on the planet.
The final time the UFC landed there for an occasion was again in 2000 for UFC 26 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa the place Kevin Randleman confronted Pedro Rizzo in the principle occasion.
