Deiveson Figueiredo and Cory Sandhagen set for statement fight at UFC Fight Night on May 3, 2025

Deiveson Figueiredo and Cory Sandhagen headline UFC Fight Night from Des Moines’ Wells Fargo Arena in a pivotal bantamweight battle. It could alter the picture within the division’s title picture on the evening of May 3, 2025. Both fighters have the chance to rebound from recent setbacks as they both enter this high-stakes fight, No. 4-ranked Sandhagen coming off his unanimous decision loss to Umar Nurmagomedov in August, and No. 5-ranked Deiveson Figueiredo looking to erase the memory of his loss to Petr Yan in November. This bout is as important as it gets for both of these competitors, who are chasing championship aspirations.
In this contest, Cory Sandhagen enters with a methodical mindset, having spent months studying after his previous defeat. Colorado native 33 year old has assembled an impressive corner team of Trevor Wittman, Carrington Banks, and Ryan Hall, and it appears to be serious preparation. "I think this is going to be a great year for me,” Sandhagen hopes to get in three fights, and one of them will be a championship fight.

Cory Sandhagen is also watching the upcoming championship rematch between Merab Dvalishvili and Sean O’Malley at UFC 316. With an impressive victory in Iowa, Cory Sandhagen would be the only top-five bantamweight not to have faced Dvalishvili and be in a unique position to discuss the title conversation.
Deiveson Figueiredo, former two-time flyweight champion and dangerous kickboxer, who has already made an impression in the bantamweight division with devastating power, represents a dangerous challenge. The 37-year-old Brazilian became the first fighter to KO the notoriously durable Marlon Vera, and he has flattened tough guys like Joseph Benavidez. Deiveson Figueiredo, who recently lost to Petr Yan, is still certain he can succeed at 135 pounds.
Flyweight competing took its toll on Deiveson Figueiredo, who said the weight cuts were the most difficult. Since moving to a new division, he said he feels physically and mentally rejuvenated, he added that he is much stronger and healthier. Deiveson Figueiredo’s renewed condition could even make him a more formidable threat as he’s no longer struggling with extreme weight cutting that previously affected his performances.
The main card of UFC Fight Night: Cory Sandhagen vs. Deiveson Figueiredo begins on May 3 at 10:00 PM EST, and the preliminary bouts start at 7:00 PM EST, all on ESPN+ for fans to watch live. The co-main event is a fascinating bout between middleweight prospect Bo Nickal and former ONE Championship titleholder Reinier de Ridder.
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With both fighters desperately needing a victory to remain in title contention, this main event promises high-level action that could dramatically alter the bantamweight landscape heading into the second half of 2025.