Prediction: Cory Sandhagen via Decision
Corey Sandhagen vs Deiveson Figueiredo is an extremely intriguing matchup, but when you look at the details, it’s clear why Sandhagen should be the winner—and a lot of it comes down to the size and style dynamic between the two. Sandhagen’s frame for bantamweight is huge, and when he leans into it with movement, range control, and a high-volume kicking game, he becomes a nightmare to deal with for smaller, patient fighters like Figueiredo.
Figueiredo has always been at his best when he’s able to dictate pace and tempo, sitting back, waiting for the right moments to explode with sharp, powerful counters or mix in sudden level changes to catch his opponents off guard. That kind of style depends on being able to force opponents to step into his range and being able to time them clean. The problem here is Sandhagen’s length and footwork make that very difficult. Sandhagen doesn’t stand still. He moves constantly, shifting stances, throwing long kicks, side steps, and jabs that sting from way outside. And with his height and reach advantage, he can touch Figueiredo without putting himself into danger zones where Figueiredo can land the big counter shots he’s always hunting for.
Because Sandhagen can cover distance so effortlessly and because his limbs are so long, the range Figueiredo normally operates in just isn’t going to be available to him. For Figueiredo to have consistent success, he would need to be the one pressuring heavily, getting into the pocket, and forcing close-range exchanges—essentially fighting against his natural instincts as a striker. Figueiredo is a patient hunter, not a relentless pressure fighter, and changing that approach mid-fight against someone like Sandhagen would be a massive ask.
That’s not to say Figueiredo doesn’t have real tools that could change the fight. His power is very real, and if he’s able to time Sandhagen coming in or catch a lazy exit from an exchange, he could absolutely hurt him. Sandhagen, despite his movement, isn’t invincible defensively—he’s been clipped before. But forcing those kinds of openings consistently over three or five rounds is going to require a level of pressure, volume, and risk-taking that Figueiredo just hasn’t shown historically. Plus, with Figueiredo being the smaller man, every missed shot and every failed entry is going to be more exhausting over time.