UFC's Des Moines Event: When Does the Fight Program Commence Tonight?
Get ready for an action-packed night as the UFC hits Des Moines on May 3! The main event sees bantamweight rivals Cory "Sandman" Sandhagen and Deiveson Figueiredo duke it out. And in the co-main event, middleweight up-and-comers Reinier de Ridder and Bo Nickal clash.
Kick off your evening with the preliminary card at 7 PM ET on ESPN, followed by the main card at 10 PM ET on ESPN2.
Cory Sandhagen, the No. 4 ranked bantamweight, burst onto the UFC scene in 2018 with a 7-1 record. He ran undefeated in his first five UFC fights, earning him a shot against Aljamain Sterling, the No. 2 ranked fighter at the time. Sterling submitted Sandhagen in the first round, but Sandhagen maintained his ranking.
Sandhagen quickly bounced back, defeating two-time UFC flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo's teammate Marlon Moraes and former UFC lightweight champ Frankie Edgar. However, a title shot against T.J. Dillashaw and a setback against Petr Yan derailed his momentum. Sandhagen then took a decision loss to Umar Nurmagomedov in August 2024. But the persevering challenger remains the No. 4 fighter in the division.
Figueiredo, the former two-time UFC flyweight champion, has faced Cory Sandhagen twice, winning their first match but losing the most recent one to title contender Petr Yan. After a title loss to Brandon Moreno in June 2021, Figueiredo moved up to the bantamweight division and defeated Rob Font in his debut. Since then, he's grabbed two more wins against Marlon "Chito" Vera and Cody Garbrandt, only to lose to Yan in November. Figueiredo enters the fight as the No. 5 bantamweight.
The co-main event features Reinier de Ridder, known for his 11 career submission victories, taking on NCAA wrestling standout Bo Nickal. de Ridder has impressed since joining the UFC, picking up two submission wins against Gerald Meerschaert and Kevin Holland. Nickal, also a submission artist, has a perfect 7-0 record but has yet to face an opponent of de Ridder's caliber.
Preliminary fights include Juliana Miller vs. Ivana Petrovic, Thomas Petersen vs. Don'Tale Mayes, Gaston Bolanos vs. Quang Le, and more.
Catch all the action live from the Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Iowa, on May 3!
- If you're a UFC fan, mark your calendars for May 3 as the UFC fight night in Des Moines features a highly anticipated bantamweight clash between Cory Sandhagen and Deiveson Figueiredo.
- In a notable sports event this year, Cory Sandhagen, the No. 4 ranked bantamweight, and Bo Nickal, an NCAA wrestling standout, will face off in a co-main event during the UFC fight night in Des Moines.
- The UFC action in Des Moines tonight isn't just limited to the main event; the preliminary card starts at 3:44 PM ET, continuing the series of somewhat intense fights that UFC is known for.
