UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen Vs. Figueiredo – Who Will Win? Fight Preview & Predictions

Chloe Fitzgerald

5 min read

Post on May 05, 2025

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Cory Sandhagen's Strengths and Weaknesses

Cory Sandhagen enters the octagon with a reputation built on dynamic striking and exciting fight styles. However, a closer look reveals both significant strengths and potential vulnerabilities.

Sandhagen's Striking Prowess

Sandhagen's striking is his most potent weapon.

• Exceptional accuracy and power: He consistently lands significant strikes, often ending fights with devastating blows.
• Diverse striking arsenal: His arsenal includes a potent mix of kicks, punches, and elbows, keeping opponents guessing and off-balance.
• Excellent footwork and movement: Sandhagen's agility and footwork allow him to create angles and evade incoming attacks with remarkable efficiency, a key element in his striking success.
• Adaptability: He's shown the ability to adjust his striking approach based on his opponent's style, making him a difficult matchup for many fighters. He's not a one-trick pony.

Sandhagen's Ground Game

While striking is his primary focus, Sandhagen's ground game is steadily improving.

• Improved takedown defense: His takedown defense has become significantly more robust in recent fights, limiting opportunities for opponents to take the fight to the ground.
• Solid submission skills: Although not his primary strength, he possesses a solid understanding of submissions and has shown the ability to finish fights on the mat.
• Vulnerability to aggressive wrestlers: Despite improvements, Sandhagen still shows some vulnerability against aggressive wrestlers who can consistently secure takedowns.

Sandhagen's Potential Weaknesses

Despite his obvious strengths, Sandhagen possesses some exploitable weaknesses.

• Chin: While durable, Sandhagen's chin has shown vulnerability to powerful punches. A single, well-placed shot could change the course of the fight.
• Over-Aggression: His aggressive style, while exciting for fans, can sometimes lead to openings for his opponents to capitalize on.
• Struggles against dominant wrestlers: Historically, his biggest challenges have come from wrestlers who can effectively control the fight on the ground, negating his striking advantage.

Brandon Moreno's Strengths and Weaknesses

Brandon Moreno, the current former flyweight champion, brings a contrasting fighting style to the octagon, relying heavily on his world-class grappling and submission skills.

Moreno's Ground Game

Moreno's ground game is arguably the best in the flyweight division.

• World-class grappling and submission skills: He’s incredibly adept at securing takedowns, controlling opponents on the ground, and securing submissions.
• Exceptional takedown ability: He possesses an array of takedowns, making it difficult for opponents to predict and defend against his attempts.
• High-level control and ground pressure: Once on the ground, Moreno is incredibly adept at maintaining control and wearing down his opponents.

Moreno's Striking

Moreno’s striking has significantly improved over his career.

• Improved striking precision and power: He now lands more meaningful strikes, using his improved technique to create openings for takedowns.
• Effective use of counters and combinations: He's effective at utilizing counter-strikes and combining his striking with his grappling game.
• Less diverse striking game than Sandhagen: While improved, his striking arsenal might lack the same diversity and dynamism as Sandhagen’s.

Moreno's Potential Weaknesses

While incredibly skilled, Moreno also has certain weaknesses.

• Size disadvantage: Against taller opponents like Sandhagen, Moreno faces a size disadvantage that could impact his grappling ability.
• Susceptibility on the feet: If the fight remains standing, Moreno could be susceptible to powerful kicks and punches, particularly from a rangier opponent.
• Reliance on grappling: His heavy reliance on grappling could be exploited if an opponent effectively counters his takedown attempts.

Potential Fight Scenarios and Predictions

Several scenarios could unfold in this highly anticipated fight:

• Scenario 1: Sandhagen Dominates on the Feet: Sandhagen utilizes his superior reach and striking prowess to keep the fight at range, dominating with powerful kicks and punches.
• Scenario 2: Moreno Secures Multiple Takedowns: Moreno successfully takes the fight to the ground, controlling the pace and potentially securing a submission.
• Scenario 3: A Back-and-Forth Battle: A closely contested fight where both fighters showcase their skills, resulting in a highly competitive and exciting matchup.

Prediction: While Moreno's grappling is a significant threat, Sandhagen's powerful striking and reach could be the deciding factor. The prediction leans slightly towards a close decision victory for Sandhagen, but a Moreno submission win is certainly a possibility. This prediction is subject to change based on pre-fight analysis and adjustments in the fighters’ game plans.

Betting Odds and Analysis (Optional)

(This section would include current betting odds from reputable sportsbooks and an analysis of those odds, comparing them to the predictions made above. This requires access to real-time betting data and is omitted here due to its dynamic nature.)

Conclusion

The UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs. Figueiredo matchup promises an exciting and unpredictable contest. Both fighters possess elite skills, making for a fascinating stylistic clash. Cory Sandhagen's reach and striking power give him a strong advantage, but Brandon Moreno's world-class grappling presents a significant threat. The final outcome is uncertain, making this a must-watch event for MMA fans. Don’t miss the action – tune in to watch UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs. Figueiredo and let us know your predictions! Who do you think will win the UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs. Figueiredo?