For the first time since 2000, the UFC is back in Iowa! This Saturday’s Fight Night will feature a Bantamweight fight between two top contenders: No. 4 Cory Sandhagen vs. No. 5 Deiveson Figueiredo. This event will be held at the Wells Fargo Arena and is the first UFC event in Des Moines, Iowa. UFC 26: Ultimate Field of Dreams was the last event in the state of Iowa in June 2000.

The Prelims start at 7:00 p.m. ET, with the Main Card beginning at 10:00 p.m. ET on ESPN+ and ESPN2. Check out my favorite fighters to add to your daily fantasy lineup for Saturday’s UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs. Figueiredo.

Set your DraftKings fantasy MMA lineups here: UFC $400K Throwdown [$100K to 1st]

Studs

Bo Nickal ($9,100)

Since entering the UFC Octagon at UFC 285 in March 2023, Bo Nickal has lived up to the pre-existing expectations and more. He is 4-0 in the UFC while being 7-0 with six finishes in his career. Nickal joined the UFC as one of the most decorated collegiate wrestlers to ever sign with the promotion. At Penn State, Nickal won three Big Ten Championships and three NCAA Division 1 National Championships.

As great a wrestler as Nickal is, his striking continues to improve with each fight. In his last fight against Paul Craig, Nickal didn’t attempt or land one takedown during the contest. Nickal outlanded Craig 54-47 in significant strikes. This is the first Fight Night that Nickal will compete at in his UFC career. Nickal will face No. 13 Reinier de Ridder in a three-round middleweight bout. This is a tough fight for Nickal as de Ridder is a former two-time ONE Champion and excels on the ground as well. In his first two UFC fights, de Ridder is 2-0 with his two submission victories.

Nickal lands significant strikes at a six percent better rate while also being more efficient on the ground. In the UFC, de Ridder has had success on the ground, but Nickal has yet to be taken down. Something has to give, and I think Nickal is the overall better fighter on the ground. Nickal has scored 100 or more fantasy points in four of his five fights in the UFC. Even though Nickal has less overall experience, he has the necessary tools to beat de Ridder and surpass his last fantasy performance.

Montel Jackson ($8,700)

No. 15 Montel Jackson is taking on Daniel Marcos in a Bantamweight bout on the Main Card. Jackson has been on a roll, winning five straight fights and seven of his last eight. His previous two victories have come by knockout. Marcos is 17-0 in his MMA career and is 4-0 in his UFC career.

Although Jackson is 33 and Marcos is 32, each fighter is on an impressive win streak. On paper, Jackson has the physical advantage over Marcos. Jackson has a 5.5-inch reach (75.5″ vs. 69″) advantage while being three inches taller (5’10” vs. 5’7″).

Jackson is coming off a 127-point fantasy performance while totaling 100-plus points in four of his last five bouts. He is averaging 98.8 points throughout his 10 UFC contests. On the ground, Jackson averages nearly three more takedowns per 15 minutes while landing attempts at a 71 percent rate. If Jackson can use his size to his benefit, another top-tier fantasy performance should be in his future.

Value Play

Deiveson Figueiredo ($6,800)

The former two-time UFC Flyweight Champion, Deiveson Figueiredo, is back and trying to get back in the win column. Figueiredo lost his last fight against Petr Yan in November 2024. But he is still 3-1 in the 135-pound division. At 37 years old, the time is ticking on Figueiredo’s chances of becoming a two-division champion. Figueiredo will face Cory Sandhagen and has a perfect opportunity in front of him to bounce back.

Even though Figueiredo is the smaller fighter, six inches shorter, his standing reach is only two inches shorter than Sandhagen’s. Statistically, Figueiredo is the more efficient fighter on the feet. Figueiredo lands 2.91 significant strikes at a 54 percent rate while Sandhagen lands 5.02 at 44 percent.

Figueiredo wasn’t very aggressive against Yan, which led to his downfall in that contest. Figueiredo needs to dictate the pace of this bout, and if he does so, he can positively impact your fantasy lineup. At $6,800, Figueiredo has plenty of upside in this slate. Figueiredo only recorded 37 points in his previous fight, but totaled 75 or more points in his last three contests in the Bantamweight division.

Set your DraftKings fantasy MMA lineups here: UFC $400K Throwdown [$100K to 1st]