Deiveson Figueiredo labored on fixing his errors to return a greater fighter and beat Cory Sandhagen in the primary occasion of UFC Des Moines on Could 3.
The previous UFC flyweight champion suffered his first loss as a bantamweight in November 2024, a unanimous choice in opposition to ex-bantamweight titleholder Petr Yan in China, and went again to Pitbull Brothers fitness center in Natal, Brazil, to right the holes in his sport. On social media, Figueiredo shared a clip of a disk dodging train.
“We try this continually right here within the fitness center with our conditioning coach Xicão, similar coach for Patricio and Patricky,” Figueiredo instructed MMA Combating. “We transfer in circles, virtually like writing an ‘eight’ on the ground, and he’s throwing disks whereas we do out finest to dodge them. And I did very well, man.”
Figueiredo mentioned that head motion — and motion basically — was the primary subject in his efficiency in opposition to Yan, when he after 25 minutes of motion in Macau.
“I’ve rewatched my battle with Petr Yan and know what I did fallacious — and I’ve corrected that,” Figueiredo mentioned. “I used to be too flat footed in opposition to Petr Yan. It shouldn’t be like that, you recognize? I ought to have insisted extra on taking him down. Anyway, classes realized. If you happen to don’t study, you higher cease preventing.”
The Brazilian expertise was 3-0 within the division in opposition to Rob Font, Cody Garbrandt and Marlon Vera earlier than the setback, and now seems to be to regain second by taking up Sandhagen in Iowa. “Sandman” is 10-4 within the UFC, additionally spanning a three-fight profitable streak in his most up-to-date look, when he misplaced to Umar Nurmagomedov.
“Cory may be very versatile, he strikes and switches stances quite a bit,” Figueiredo mentioned. “I believe it’s even a bit humorous the best way he switches stances, crossing his legs, however he’s very proficient. We now have to be alert, we are able to’t underestimate him. We now have to be one hundred pc targeted on the win so we come again dwelling with it.”
“Cory may be very proficient and works quite a bit along with his jabs,” he continued. “He’s jabbing on a regular basis, and has harmful knees. We all know he goes for takedowns when he sees the chance, however I’ve nice jiu-jitsu — and I’ve been engaged on my jiu-jitsu. … I’m going for it. I’m not enjoying round. After I need one thing, I by no means stop.”
Figueiredo scored one end since shifting as much as 135 kilos, a submission in opposition to former champion Garbrandt, after stopping seven males as a flyweight. Sandhagen was solely completed as soon as within the UFC, a first-round rear-naked choke versus Aljamain Sterling again in 2020.
“I’m going there to not let it go 5 rounds. I’m going all in,” Figueiredo mentioned. “If I take him down, I’ll faucet him out. However I’ve been engaged on my putting, too. I do know he’s good, I do know he strikes properly, however I hope to cease him. That’s what I need, and that’s what I’m coaching for.”
