UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs. Figueiredo

Cory Sandhagen

• Style: Creative striker with high volume, excellent footwork, and elite movement.

• Strengths: Cardio, range management, switch stances, deceptive striking entries, and strong defensive grappling.

• Concerns: Occasionally too patient early; can be pressured by high-output grapplers but adjusts well.

Deiveson Figueiredo

• Style: Explosive counter-striker with powerful hooks and a dangerous guillotine.

• Strengths: Fast hands, lethal power for his size, elite guillotine, and good takedown timing.

• Concerns: Moving up from flyweight, smaller frame at bantamweight, and may fade under high pace. Durability could decline with age and damage.

Key Factors

1. Size & Physicality

• Sandhagen is a large bantamweight with a 70-inch reach and 5’11” frame.

• Figueiredo, a former flyweight, has a 68-inch reach and is significantly shorter (5’5”).

• Sandhagen has a clear size, range, and reach advantage.

2. Pace & Cardio

• Sandhagen is built to fight 5 rounds at a high pace.

• Figueiredo has shown cardio issues in longer fights, especially when pressured (e.g., Moreno fights).

3. Striking Volume vs Power

• Figueiredo is explosive and dangerous early, but his power doesn’t translate as cleanly at bantamweight.

• Sandhagen’s output, movement, and variety in strikes can overwhelm slower-paced fighters.

4. Grappling Paths

• Sandhagen showed major improvements in grappling against Rob Font and Song Yadong, controlling opponents from top and defensively.

• Figueiredo’s guillotine is a real threat, but he likely won’t be the one initiating takedowns.

5. Recent Damage & Momentum

• Figueiredo has absorbed significant damage in his flyweight wars, especially vs. Moreno.

• Sandhagen is on a steady upward trajectory, fighting smart and managing risks better with each outing.

Matchup Dynamics

• Early Rounds (R1–R2): Danger zone for Sandhagen. Figueiredo’s explosive counters could catch him if he gets too flashy early.

• Mid-to-Late Rounds (R3–R5): Sandhagen’s pace, size, and volume likely take over. Figueiredo may slow down if he can’t land early.

Intangible Edge

• Sandhagen has been carefully evolving his fight IQ and minimizing damage taken.

• Figueiredo is still adapting to bantamweight—his win over Rob Font was impressive but came against a more stationary target with less range and creativity than Sandhagen.

Prediction

Figueiredo is live early for a guillotine or power shot, but Sandhagen’s footwork, size, and cardio edge should allow him to pull away by rounds 3–5.

Reinier de Ridder

• Style: Submission grappler with solid judo and BJJ from top control

• Strengths: Slick back takes, strong body lock game, high submission IQ

• Status: ONE Championship double champ (MW/LHW), coming off KO loss

• Concerns: Striking is rudimentary, slow feet, questionable durability, long layoffs

Bo Nickal

• Style: Elite freestyle wrestler with explosive entries and growing MMA fundamentals

• Strengths: NCAA Division I wrestling pedigree, top pressure, quick transitions

• Status: Undefeated UFC prospect with sky-high expectations

• Concerns: Limited experience, untested against high-level submission threats, still developing striking defense and composure

Key Factors

1. Grappling Clash: This is a rare elite grappler vs. elite grappler matchup. Nickal has the wrestling edge, but de Ridder is more seasoned in jiu-jitsu and submission chaining.

2. Physicality: Bo is younger, more explosive, and likely more athletic. Reinier has size and experience but has looked physically outmatched when pressured hard (e.g., KO by Malykhin).

3. Striking Gap: Bo’s striking is raw but improving. De Ridder’s striking remains a clear weakness and liability under pressure.

4. Cardio & Pressure: Bo pushes a suffocating pace early. If de Ridder can survive the storm and get a scramble-heavy fight going, he can capitalize on transitions.

5. MMA Context: De Ridder thrives when he can dictate grappling pace from dominant positions. Nickal’s wrestling could nullify that by staying on top and avoiding submission entanglements.

Matchup Outlook

De Ridder’s clearest path is to snatch a sub during a scramble, but Bo’s base and top control make that difficult. Bo likely won’t play in de Ridder’s guard and will use wrestling to keep the fight where he wants it. Striking exchanges, even if brief, also favor Bo due to speed and explosiveness. De Ridder could make things interesting if he finds the back or a clean sweep, but he’ll have to survive early pressure and heavy wrestling.

Santiago Ponzinibbio

• Style: Technical striker with a kickboxing base and solid boxing combinations

• Strengths: Leg kicks, jab, cardio, experience against top competition

• Status: Aging veteran with declining durability, still capable of competitive striking battles

• Concerns: Slower than he used to be, increasingly hittable, tends to fade under sustained pressure

Daniel Rodriguez

• Style: Southpaw pressure boxer with heavy hands and a solid chin

• Strengths: Volume boxing, good jab and straight left, durable, gritty

• Status: Tough out for anyone outside the top 10, but coming off multiple setbacks

• Concerns: Slow starter, somewhat flat-footed, can be outworked by more mobile strikers

Key Factors

1. Boxing Matchup: Both fighters are primarily strikers—Rodriguez favors pressure and volume, while Ponzinibbio relies on sharp counters and leg kicks.

2. Durability & Decline: Ponzinibbio’s chin has faded post-injury layoff. Rodriguez is tough but has shown signs of being a step behind against top competition.

3. Cardio & Volume: Rodriguez usually builds steam late. Ponzinibbio historically had better movement, but that has slowed in recent years.

4. Southpaw vs Orthodox: Rodriguez’s straight left down the pipe could be a key weapon. Ponzinibbio will need to manage range and avoid standing in the pocket too long.

Matchup Outlook

This likely turns into a close boxing-heavy contest where small moments and round-stealing exchanges matter. Rodriguez may take a round to adjust but could outlast Ponzinibbio in a slow-paced, attritional affair. Ponzinibbio has the tools to chop at Rodriguez’s base and sneak rounds with cleaner technique, but his slowing pace and aging chin tilt the edge toward the younger, more durable fighter in extended exchanges.

Montel Jackson

• Style: Long southpaw striker with elite physicality and strong wrestling base

• Strengths: Massive bantamweight frame (5’10”, 75.5” reach), fast hands, power, underrated takedowns and top control

• Status: Physical outlier in the division with a calm, efficient style

• Concerns: Low volume at times, lets rounds slip by due to inactivity, occasional fight IQ lapses

Daniel Marcos

• Style: Pressure striker with high pace and toughness

• Strengths: Durable, aggressive, leg kicks, clean boxing in bursts

• Status: Undefeated UFC prospect, rising but untested vs high-level wrestlers

• Concerns: Defense is leaky, hittable in exchanges, has relied on chin and forward pressure to overwhelm opponents

Key Factors

1. Size and Reach: Jackson has a massive reach advantage (75.5” vs 70”) and 3” of height. Marcos will have to work very hard to close the distance without eating clean counters.

2. Speed and Precision: Jackson’s hand speed is among the best in the division. If he lets his hands go, Marcos may struggle to find clean entries.

3. Wrestling Safety Valve: Jackson can wrestle if needed—he’s landed takedowns in 5 of his last 6 UFC fights and may use it to steal rounds or defuse pressure.

4. Pressure vs Efficiency: Marcos thrives in chaos and wants to drag opponents into brawls. Jackson prefers clean, measured engagements and avoids unnecessary exchanges.

Matchup Outlook

If Jackson fights with urgency, this is his fight to lose. He’s faster, longer, more accurate, and more well-rounded. Marcos is tough and dangerous in the pocket, but his style plays into Jackson’s counters unless he can wear Montel down or force clinch chaos. Jackson has occasionally coasted in winnable fights—if he allows Marcos to outwork him, especially late, there’s a risk of a bad decision.

Cameron Smotherman

• Style: High-output striker with speed and aggression

• Strengths: Volume, cardio, constant forward pressure, mixes in kicks well

• Status: DWCS alum with a scrappy style and durable mentality

• Concerns: Wide striking defense, hittable, questionable TDD, tends to brawl

Serhiy Sidey

• Style: Technical striker with crisp boxing and measured combinations

• Strengths: Fast jab, sharp counters, good fight IQ, composure under fire

• Status: DWCS standout who had a controversial no-call stoppage reversed, now making real UFC debut

• Concerns: Can be a slow starter, has looked hittable early, defense off the back foot isn’t airtight

Key Factors

1. Volume vs Precision: Smotherman throws more, Sidey lands cleaner. Smotherman can overwhelm low-output fighters, but Sidey is composed and technical enough to punish wild entries.

2. Defense and Durability: Smotherman is durable but eats too many clean shots. Sidey is hittable but rarely overextends or panics under pressure.

3. Cardio and Output: Both have good gas tanks, but Smotherman pushes a slightly faster tempo. Sidey is better at managing energy and choosing his shots wisely.

4. Level of Composure: Sidey showed solid awareness and recovery on DWCS, while Smotherman thrives in chaos but sometimes relies too much on grit over control.

Matchup Outlook

This feels like a classic “brawler vs technician” battle. Smotherman will try to make it ugly with pace and pressure, but Sidey’s slick jab, composure, and efficient boxing give him the tools to outpoint or possibly hurt Smotherman. The danger for Sidey is letting Smotherman build momentum early or steal rounds by sheer output. If he can maintain range and stay calm, his accuracy and shot selection should win out.

Jeremy Stephens

• Style: Power puncher with brawling instincts and KO threat

• Strengths: Explosive hooks, strong chin (historically), fight-ending power

• Status: Longtime UFC vet now in later career phase; has fought top-tier talent for over a decade

• Concerns: Declining speed, diminished durability, predictable striking entries, no recent UFC wins (0-5-1 in last 6)

Mason Jones

• Style: Pressure boxer with high pace and durability

• Strengths: Volume striking, strong chin, solid cardio, mixes wrestling in well

• Status: Former Cage Warriors champ, young and aggressive, returning after UFC stint

• Concerns: Defensive striking gaps, hittable, can be too willing to take one to give one

Key Factors

1. Age and Wear: Stephens has absorbed a lot of damage over his career. Jones is much fresher and has the volume to exploit a slowed veteran.

2. Output and Pressure: Jones overwhelms opponents with pace and combos. Stephens is dangerous early but fades when he’s not the hammer.

3. Durability Trajectory: Stephens’ legendary chin has cracked recently. Jones, while hittable, has never been stopped and can recover well mid-fight.

4. Wrestling Option: Jones has some underrated grappling and could use it to break Stephens’ rhythm or steal rounds.

Matchup Outlook

Stephens has the equalizer in his hands—if he clips Jones clean early, he could score a knockout. But if Jones weathers the initial storm, his pace, youth, and pressure should take over. Expect Jones to wear Stephens down with combos and potentially mix in takedowns to dominate on volume and control.