UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen Vs. Figueiredo – Fight Breakdown And Predictions

Aria Freeman

4 min read

Post on May 04, 2025

4.0

Share

Cory Sandhagen's Strengths and Weaknesses

Sandhagen's Striking Prowess: A Deep Dive

Cory Sandhagen is renowned for his devastating striking. His arsenal boasts a wide range of techniques:

• Lightning-fast kicks: Sandhagen utilizes a variety of kicks, including spinning back kicks, calf kicks, and devastating head kicks, often catching opponents off guard.
• Precise punches: He combines powerful punches with exceptional accuracy, delivering damaging combinations with speed and precision.
• Exceptional reach advantage: His longer reach allows him to keep opponents at bay while effectively landing strikes. He uses this to his advantage, controlling the distance and dictating the pace of the fight.
• Fluid movement: Sandhagen's agility and footwork are exceptional, making him a difficult target to hit. He seamlessly transitions between striking combinations, making his offense unpredictable.

However, Sandhagen's striking defense, while generally effective, has shown vulnerabilities against aggressive pressure fighters. This is an area Moreno could potentially exploit.

Sandhagen's Grappling Game: Opportunities and Risks

While primarily a striker, Sandhagen possesses a respectable grappling game. He's shown the ability to secure takedowns, though it’s not his primary strength. His submission game is developing, but it’s not as polished as his striking.

• Occasional takedowns: Sandhagen can utilize takedowns effectively to change the pace or recover from a bad striking exchange.
• Developing submission game: While he's not a submission specialist, he possesses the potential to secure submissions, particularly from advantageous positions.

A significant risk for Sandhagen lies in his grappling defense. Should Moreno successfully take him down, Sandhagen will need to display improved ground defense to avoid being submitted or dominated on the mat.

Brandon Moreno's Strengths and Weaknesses

Moreno's Dominating Ground Game: A Key Advantage?

Brandon Moreno is a submission grappling master. His ground game is arguably his biggest weapon:

• Exceptional submissions: Moreno is known for his diverse and effective submission game, including rear-naked chokes, guillotines, and arm-bars.
• Takedown proficiency: He consistently secures takedowns, using a variety of techniques to control the fight and take the action to the ground.
• Ground control mastery: Once on the ground, Moreno excels at controlling his opponents, maintaining dominant positions and delivering effective ground and pound.

Moreno's grappling ability presents a significant threat to Sandhagen, who needs to prevent the fight from hitting the mat at all costs.

Moreno's Striking: A Counter-Punching Masterclass

While not as flashy as Sandhagen's striking, Moreno is a highly effective counter-puncher:

• Precision counter-strikes: He patiently waits for openings and delivers precise counters that land with surprising power.
• Excellent defensive striking: Moreno displays exceptional head movement and defensive skills, minimizing damage and avoiding unnecessary exchanges.

However, Moreno’s striking offense may lack the explosive power of Sandhagen’s. This means he will need to rely on his technical precision and superior grappling to win the fight.

Fight Breakdown and Prediction

The Key Matchup: Striking vs. Grappling

This fight hinges on the clash between Sandhagen's superior striking and Moreno's dominant grappling.

• Sandhagen's advantage: If he can keep the fight standing and utilize his reach and speed to land strikes, he'll likely control the fight.
• Moreno's advantage: If Moreno can successfully take Sandhagen down and control him on the ground, he has a high chance of securing a submission victory.

The crucial factor is the success rate of takedowns from Moreno. Each round will likely depend heavily on who dictates where the fight takes place.

Potential Fight Scenarios and Outcomes

Several scenarios could unfold:

• Early knockout: Sandhagen could secure a knockout with a powerful strike, potentially early in the fight.
• Late-round submission: If Moreno can secure a takedown in the later rounds, when fatigue might be a factor for Sandhagen, he could submit him.
• Decision victory: The fight could go the distance, resulting in a decision victory for either fighter based on control of the fight and significant strikes landed.

Considering Moreno's superior grappling and takedown ability, coupled with Sandhagen's potential weakness in grappling defense, I predict a victory for Brandon Moreno via submission in the later rounds.

UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs. Figueiredo – Final Thoughts and Predictions

In summary, Sandhagen’s potent striking presents a serious threat, but Moreno's superior grappling and takedown defense offer a path to victory. While Sandhagen’s striking is dynamic, Moreno's ground game is simply too dominant to ignore. My prediction for the "UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs. Figueiredo" fight remains a victory for Brandon Moreno via submission. However, the fight promises to be a close and exciting contest. What are your "Sandhagen vs Figueiredo predictions"? Share your thoughts and "UFC Fight Night predictions" in the comments below! Let's discuss your Cory Sandhagen vs Brandon Moreno predictions.