Male weight content Cory Sandhague looks to bounce off your first loss since 2023 when you take the ex -campion of male fly weight DEIVESON FIGUEIREDO At the main event at UFC Fight Night in Des Moines, Iowa, on Saturday night (10 ET in ESPN2/ESPN+with preliminaries at 7 in ESPN2/ESPN+).
Sandhague, BANTAMWEIGHT CLASSIFIED IN THE NUMBER 5 OF ESPNenters the fight after a loss of unanimous decision the Umar nurmagomedov On a night of UFC fight last August. Before that fighting that fight, he was walking in a streak of three struggles that included victories over Yadong song and Marlon “Chito” Vera. Figueiredo, ranked 6th, is also losing. Petr yan Pour him down for Unanimous decision on a UFC fight night Last November.
The first round of the PFL World Tournament ends on Friday, as heavyweights and heavyweights will compete at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida (10pm et in ESPN2/ESPN+, with prelims at 7.30pm in ESPN+) to determine who advances the semi -finals. Former PFL heavy weight champion Rob Wilkinson Assumes the ex -iter of heavy weight of Bellator Light Phil Davis At the main event.
Brett Okamoto talked to ex -ing male -heavyweight UFC Tj dillashaw To get your perspective on the UFC main event. ESPN betting expert Ian Parker adds information and analysis about the main event and other intriguing bets you like on both cards.
Editor’s note: Answers were edited for brevity and clarity.
BANTAMWEIGHT MASTH: Cory Sandhagen Vs. Deivesson Figueiredo
TJ Dillashaw, former male -heavyweight UFC PEOPLE CHAMPIONSHIP
As Sandhague wins: I love Sandhague, not only as an athlete but as a human. I had to fight him once, but we trained together years before that. You need to keep this fight standing, using its creativity and angles. His great knees in the middle will be huge, given the shortest he is to be. He can’t be in front of Figueiredo and allows him to shoot him. Sandhagen has a scope advantage, so not overly and hit those pop shots, flashy facts, only keeps everything unpredictable. Sandhagen’s blow is so smooth. Do a great job of changing positions and keeping the back of the cage.
How Figueiredo wins: Close the distance safely and keep away from the knees of Sandhague. Figueiredo has to set his blows; You can’t just shoot the retreats. First you need to put your hands in Cory and make you believe in your power, because Figueiredo has power, even rising in weight. He gets Sandhagen to respect his power and then leave it. You need to get the fight on the ground for several reasons. I don’t think you can keep up with the pace of Sandhagen on your feet. But once Figueredo collapses him, his Jiu-Jitsu is the second. It has great control and shipments, and that is a weakness that Cory has shown in the previous fights.
X Factor: For Sandhague, it is your cardio and fight against the intellectual coefficient. He works with Trevor Wittman now, and I’m sure they came with a big game plan. For Figueiredo, it is his Jiu-Jitsu. Cody Garbrandt It’s very difficult to knock down and keep the fall – it’s like a cat, it’s so fast again – and Figueiredo has managed to knock it down and send it.
Prediction: I inclined Sandhagen here because of cardio and mindset. It is unbeatable when you are on top of your game, and I think you believe in itself right now.
Parker’s betting analysis
Probability precise from May 1st. To get the most updated odds, visit ESPN BET.
Sandhague to win (-550); More than 2.5 rounds. It seems that whoever loses this fight has seen their last chance to chase a UFC championship. Sandhague is sitting as a favorite of 5 to 1, and makes sense. Outside of a Fluke Ko strike from Figueiredo, Sandhagen is better everywhere and knows how to be out of trouble. Look for Sandhague to use your flashy volume and dictate the pace for victory. If Figueredo ends, I say he will reach the rounds 4 or 5. However, to lower the line, we will take Sandhagen to win and more than 2.5 rounds, turning those bets the anchors of our parlay.
Best bets on the rest of the UFC card
Average weight: Good nickal Vs. Ridder’s reinier
Nickal to win (-340). Nickal has asked for another step in the competition and is getting that. De Ridder comes from shipping victories back to back Gerald Meerschaert and Kevin HollandBut I think the submission and stripes of winning end here. As good as Ridder was in his two UFC fights and in his years with a championship, where he was a champion of two divisions, there is a reason why Nickal is being treated as “that kind”. Nickal may not have De Ridder’s technical blow, but he is technical enough to keep his rival honest and probably have the advantage in speed and power. In addition, Nickal-Foi’s World Class Fight a National Division I of the NCAA Division I on three occasions-it will be too strong to Ridder, and Nickal is defensively solid in Jiu-Jitsu’s department, so I don’t see it sending it. This feels like Nickal’s decision victory, but to play it for sure, we lead him to win in the money line and add it to our Parlay.
PEOPLE PEOPLE: Santiago Ponzinibbio Vs. Daniel Rodriguez
Ponzinibbio to win (-115). This should be a fun Standup battle, with two UFC veterans performing a concert for the fans. I am surprised by the betting line, as I thought Ponzinibbio would be a bigger favorite, but with currency probabilities, I like this place. Ponzinibbio is better everywhere in the fight and with Rodriguez he lost three of his last four and looking a little slow in his last fight, I think Ponzinibbio adds another ko/tko to his curriculum.
BEST BESTS FOR THE FIRST PFL ROUND: heavy weights and lightweight weights
Light heavy weight: Phil Davis vs. Rob Wilkinson
Wilkinson to win (-150). Davis will make his PFL debut against the winner of the 2022 season. The odds are closer than I expected, with Wilkinson being a -150 favorite. It would have the -200, because you can defend the attempts of retreat from the 2008 NCAA fighting champion and keep the fight standing, the surprising thing is so strongly in favor of Wilkinson that I think this fight will not be overly competitive. Wilkinson has a great retirement defense and I don’t think he has a problem with Davis, whose amazing does not present anything Wilkinson had not seen before.
Heavy weight: Alexandr Romanov Vs. Tim Johnson
Romanov to win by Ko/Tko. Romanov will make his PFL debut against a fighter who comes out of a couple of first round losses, and would be impressed if this result was different. Johnson has the opportunity for a pumps, but it is likely to be taken off right out of the door and finished on the floor. With Romanov being a favorite of almost 6 to 1, you can throw it in a pair or, to get much better, take it to win by ko/tko.
Lightweight weight: Antonio Carlos Jr. Vs. Karl moore
Carlos to win (+115). A loss of decision to come to Corey Anderson in a Fight for the title of Bellator Last year, Moore looks to return. Moore became good on her feet against Anderson, but struggled to stay on her back and defend the fight. If you have the same problem in this fight, Carlos will end. Carlos has a good point of view to keep Moore the stripe while mounting his retirees. Once the fight reaches the ground, Jiu-Jitsu’s world champion twice will take over. In Plus-Money, I am taking Carlos Jr.
Karl Albreksson Vs. Simeon Powell
Powell to win (-210). After suffering from his first loss in the 2023 PFL European Finals, Powell bounced with a decision -making Bellator victory Rafael Xavier past September. Powell should have your confidence, which makes it dangerous. He is a smart fighter with a huge Knockout power. With Albrektsson that a loss of KO has fallen and lost three of his last four, I hope Powell shows himself here and landing that Ko Strike is used to seeing.