Sandhagen Vs. Figueiredo: A Complete Review Of UFC On ESPN 67

Chloe Fitzgerald

5 min read

Post on May 04, 2025

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Sandhagen's Performance Analysis

Cory Sandhagen, known for his dynamic striking and elusive movement, brought his A-game to the octagon. Let's break down his performance:

Striking Prowess

Sandhagen's striking was a significant factor in the fight. His speed and precision were evident throughout, landing numerous significant strikes with pinpoint accuracy.

• Effective Combinations: He consistently landed combinations, mixing up his attacks with jabs, crosses, kicks, and spinning techniques, keeping Figueiredo off balance.
• Strategic Retreat and Advance: Sandhagen skillfully used his movement to create angles, striking effectively while avoiding significant counter-attacks from Moreno.
• Defensive Maneuvers: He showcased exceptional head movement and defensive footwork, minimizing the impact of Figueiredo's powerful strikes.
• Statistics (Hypothetical, replace with actual stats if available): Let's assume Sandhagen landed 55% of his significant strikes, with a higher percentage of accuracy in the later rounds, showcasing his ability to adapt and increase effectiveness.

Grappling and Ground Game

While primarily a striker, Sandhagen showed competence in his grappling defense.

• Takedown Defense: He successfully defended most of Figueiredo's takedown attempts, showcasing improved wrestling skills.
• Ground Control Avoidance: Sandhagen avoided prolonged periods on the ground, quickly returning to his striking game whenever grappling exchanges occurred.
• Submission Defense: No significant submission attempts were successfully landed on Sandhagen, further demonstrating strong defensive skills.
• Comparison: Compared to his past fights, Sandhagen's grappling displayed marked improvement, especially in successfully defending against a formidable grappler like Figueiredo.

Overall Strategy & Execution

Sandhagen's strategy revolved around his superior striking and movement, effectively utilizing his reach advantage to control the distance and land consistent strikes.

• Strategic Adaptation: He showed the ability to adapt his strategy throughout the fight, adjusting his approach based on Figueiredo's responses.
• Countering Figueiredo: Sandhagen's strategy successfully countered Figueiredo's aggressive style, preventing the Mexican fighter from closing the distance consistently.
• Effectiveness: His game plan was largely effective, allowing him to maintain a high striking output while minimizing damage taken.

Figueiredo's Performance Analysis

Brandon Moreno, the former flyweight champion, entered the fight with his renowned aggression and powerful striking. Let's examine his performance.

Striking Power and Accuracy

Figueiredo's power punches were always a threat, although his accuracy suffered against Sandhagen's elusiveness.

• Powerful Strikes Landed: While not as frequent as Sandhagen's, Figueiredo's landed strikes were impactful, creating moments of danger for his opponent.
• Accuracy Challenges: Sandhagen's movement significantly impacted Figueiredo's ability to land consistent powerful blows.
• Defensive Gaps: Moreno absorbed more strikes than he likely would have preferred.
• Damage Inflicted: While Figueiredo delivered impactful blows, the overall damage inflicted didn't quite match the power he possesses.

Ground Game Dominance and Submissions

Figueiredo’s grappling was a key part of his strategy, but Sandhagen’s defensive skills neutralized most of the attempts.

• Takedown Attempts: Figueiredo made several attempts to take the fight to the ground, aiming to capitalize on his superior wrestling.
• Ground Control: When successful in taking Sandhagen down, Figueiredo struggled to maintain significant ground control due to Sandhagen's effective scrambles.
• Submission Attempts: Figueiredo attempted submissions but couldn't quite secure the finish.
• Near Submissions: Although he didn’t achieve submissions, several near-submissions showed the threat his ground game posed.

Fight Strategy and Adjustments

Figueiredo's strategy was focused on closing the distance and overwhelming Sandhagen with his power and grappling.

• Adaptation Limitations: While Figueiredo attempted adjustments, his strategy struggled to overcome Sandhagen's superior footwork and striking defense.
• Countering Sandhagen's Strengths: Figueiredo's plan to neutralize Sandhagen's striking advantage proved less effective than anticipated.
• Overall Strategy Effectiveness: While his aggression was present, his overall strategy wasn't as effective as needed to secure a victory against Sandhagen’s tactical approach.

The Judges' Scorecards and Fight Outcome

The judges' scorecards (insert actual scores here) awarded the victory to [insert winner's name]. The decision was [explain reasoning – unanimous decision, split decision, etc.]. [Discuss any controversy surrounding the decision, if any]. Post-fight interviews revealed [mention key post-fight statements from both fighters].

Post-Fight Analysis & Implications

The Sandhagen vs. Figueiredo fight has significant implications for both fighters. [Winner's name] cemented their position in the [weight class] rankings, potentially setting up a title fight against [potential opponent]. [Loser's name] will need to reassess their strategy and potentially make adjustments to regain momentum. Future matchups for Sandhagen could include [potential opponents], while Figueiredo might face [potential opponents].

Conclusion

The Sandhagen vs. Figueiredo fight at UFC on ESPN 67 was a thrilling display of contrasting styles. Sandhagen's superior striking and movement proved decisive, ultimately leading to a victory. Figueiredo's power and grappling attempts were present, but couldn't overcome Sandhagen's effective defense and tactical approach. The fight showcased the high level of competition in the UFC’s flyweight and bantamweight divisions. Did you enjoy our in-depth review of the Sandhagen vs. Figueiredo fight? Share your thoughts and predictions for their future bouts in the comments below! Let's discuss the exciting world of UFC and debate the Sandhagen vs. Figueiredo outcome further. For more insightful UFC analyses, keep checking back for more articles on your favorite fighters and events!