Does Cory Sandhagen deserve UFC bantamweight title shot after Des Moines win?

Cory Sandhagen believes he’s closer than ever to securing a UFC title opportunity.

Sandhagen went one-on-one with former UFC Flyweight Champion Deiveson Figueiredo this past Saturday. The bantamweight tilt headlined UFC Des Moines inside Wells Fargo Arena. The bout ended in the second round after Figueiredo suffered a knee injury, which Sandhagen believes he caused by getting the better of his opponent in a leg lock position.

Sandhagen looked sharp in the fight, and he’s calling for a chance to prove he’s ready to hold UFC gold.

RELATED: CORY SANDHAGEN FIRMLY BELIEVES HE CAUSED DEIVESON FIGUEIREDO’S KNEE INJURY IN UFC DES MOINES WIN

Sandhagen Thinks He’s Earned UFC Title Shot

During the UFC Des Moines post-fight press conference, Cory Sandhagen expressed his belief that he should receive a crack at the UFC Bantamweight Championship (via MMAJunkie.com).

“Me and my agency are going to talk to (the UFC) to see what’s kind of next; I think I deserve a title shot next regardless,” Sandhagen said. “(Figueiredo), I think maybe, hit me one time so I showed that I’m better. I showed that I’m the best guy and I deserve to be next.”

The next bantamweight title fight is scheduled for June 7. Titleholder Merab Dvalishvili will defend the gold in a rematch against Sean O’Malley at UFC 316 in Newark. Dvalishvili defeated O’Malley to capture the bantamweight gold at UFC 306 back in Sept. 2024.

Sandhagen fought Dvalishvili’s teammate, Aljamain Sterling, back in June 2020. Sandhagen lost the fight via first-round submission, and he’s gone 6-3 since. The door might be open for Sandhagen to get that title shot, given that the No. 2-ranked Petr Yan has losses against both Dvalishvili and O’Malley. Yan does have a unanimous decision win over Sandhagen.

Time will tell what the UFC brass ultimately decide to do with the bantamweight title picture after UFC 316. For now, fans eagerly anticipate the rematch between “The Machine” and “Sugar.”