Get to know what happened to Deivison Figueiredo knee during his fight with Cory Sandhagen!
UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs. Figueiredo main event ended in a way nobody wanted to see. Former flyweight champ Deiveson Figueiredo tapped out due to a nasty knee injury against Cory Sandhagen. The Brazilian warrior has faced many battles in his career. But this one ended with him wincing in pain rather than going out on his shield. The fight was already turning into a showcase for Sandhagen when disaster struck in the second round.
Fighting up a weight class always comes with challenges. Figueiredo moved to bantamweight in late 2023 after his impressive flyweight reign. He started strong at 135 pounds with wins over Rob Font, Cody Garbrandt, and Marlon Vera. His only setback was a decision loss to Petr Yan before this bout. Sandhagen represented another major test. At 5’11” with his unique movement and striking, ‘The Sandman’ posed problems from the opening bell. What began as a tactical battle quickly morphed into a painful lesson for the Brazilian.
Also Read: UFC Fight Night – Cory Sandhagen vs Deiveson Figueiredo Head to Head, Tale of the Tape and More!
The injury happened during a ground scramble in the second round. Sandhagen locked up one of Figueiredo’s legs in an awkward position. As they jostled for control, something gave way in Figueiredo’s left knee. The moment it happened was clear to everyone watching. Figueiredo immediately fell back in pain and tapped out at 4:08 of round two. The official result goes down as a TKO victory for Sandhagen.
UFC medical staff rushed in to assess the damage. While no official diagnosis has been released yet, knee injuries like this can be serious. Fighters who suffer knee damage often face lengthy rehabilitation periods. This setback comes at a terrible time for the 37-year-old Figueiredo. He was working to build momentum in the bantamweight division after leaving his flyweight title behind.
In his post-fight interview, Sandhagen acknowledged that his positioning created the injury. “I felt something pop when I had his leg,” he mentioned to Michael Bisping.
Even before the injury, this fight was all Cory Sandhagen. The first round was a complete shutout. When the fight hit the ground, things got worse for ‘God Of War.’ Sandhagen’s ground-and-pound was relentless. He maintained top position and rained down elbows and punches that visibly wore on Figueiredo.
The second round followed a similar pattern. Figueiredo struggled to find his range against the taller fighter. Whenever he tried to close distance, Sandhagen would smother his attacks or counter effectively. The American’s wrestling looked sharp too, scoring a beautiful takedown. He continued raining down strikes again before the injury occurred. For Sandhagen, this win puts him firmly back in the title conversation. After losing to Umar Nurmagomedov, he needed to make a statement. Though the ending wasn’t ideal, his dominance was undeniable.
As for Figueiredo, this setback leaves him at a crossroads in his career. At 37, recovering from a serious knee injury won’t be easy. His move up to bantamweight showed promise, but the division is stacked with killers. The bantamweight title picture remains fluid, and ‘The Sandman’ just made a compelling case for another shot at gold!
(Image Credit: UFC News – X)
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