Corey Sandhagen is a contender at 135-pounds.

On Saturday night in the main event of the UFC’s even in Iowa, the 33-year-old American scored his 18th career win, defeating former flyweight kingpin Deiveson Figuieredo in the second round after after the Brazilian appeared to severely injure his knee in a 50/50 position with Sandhagen — who has frequently trained with leg lock specialist Ryan Hall.

And as Sandhagen explained post-fight, 50/50 is a dangerous position if you aren’t in full control of what you are doing.

“It was like a pop submission,” Sandhagen said post-fight, as noted by MMA Fighting.

“The position’s called ‘50/50.’ If you don’t know how to play 50/50, you’re going to pop your knee. I spun under, I went for a backside 50/50, it didn’t hit, he got on top, I sat up really hard just to get on top and if I sit up hard and you don’t sit back, your knee is going to pop. It happened to T.J. when I did that to him, it happened to Figgy, I heard it click really loud.

“So that wasn’t like an accidental thing. That was like a ‘Hey, Figgy, you’re either going to sit down on your butt or we’re popping your knee.’ And that’s what happened.”

The win rebounds Sandhagen from his sole defeat in the past four years, a decision loss in August 2024 to Umar Nurmagomedov — and with Figuieredo now added to his list of wins which also includes Frankie Edgar, Marlon Moraes, Song Yadong and Marlon ‘Chito’ Vera, Sandhagen says that he has significantly strengthened his title chances.

“I think I deserve the title shot next, regardless,” he said. “Who else is there? Umar just fought for the belt, lost. Yan is coming off of a win but also lost to both of the guys that are fighting, so I don’t know how exciting that would be. And then I finished Figgy in a round and a half, Yan didn’t finish Figgy. Yan got dropped by Figgy, Figgy 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.”