Preview: UFC Des Moines ‘Sandhagen vs. Figueiredo’

Welterweights

Santiago Ponzinibbio (30-8, 12-7 UFC) vs. Daniel Rodriguez (18-5, 8-4 UFC)

ODDS: Ponzinibbio (-122), Rodriguez (+102)

Ponzinibbio has had a highly successful UFC career that has seen him become a minor star, but it’s hard not to think of what could have been for the Argentinian. The start of Ponzinibbio’s UFC career was a bit rocky, but he was one of the most electric fighters in the welterweight division once things finally clicked. His dominant victory over Neil Magny in 2018 capped off a seven-fight winning streak and the UFC’s debut in Buenos Aires, and it was the type of surgical performance that figured to launch Ponzinibbio into title contention. Instead, Ponzinibbio suffered a series of career-threatening injuries—including a severe staph infection—that left him looking flat upon his 2021 return, which saw him get knocked out quickly by Jingliang Li. That performance has been the worst of Ponzinibbio’s comeback, as while he hasn’t come anywhere near recapturing his previous form, he has been able to settle into a slowed-down version of his previous game, staying an exciting striker but now taking a bit longer to get going. That has resulted in a lot of close fights and comebacks that make Ponzinibbio a welcome addition to any card given the right opponent, and he gets a willing dance partner here in Rodriguez, a fellow 38-year-old.

Passed over despite a win on the Contender Series in 2019, Rodriguez found himself in the UFC by early 2020 and hit the ground running. “D-Rod” won in seven of his first eight trips to the Octagon, with the lone loss coming via controversial decision. Rodriguez is fairly basic in his effectiveness, backing up some sharp boxing with some top-tier scrappiness, so it wasn’t a shock that he hit a clear ceiling when he attempted to break into the rankings. Better athletes could either outmaneuver or overpower him, handing Rodriguez three straight losses until he was able to bounce back with an October win over Alex Morono. This one is more about the action than the result, as this seems set to be yet another close fight where Ponzinibbio starts slow and ends hot. The more consistent fighter gets the narrowest of nods. The pick is Rodriguez via decision.

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Sandhagen vs. Figueiredo
Nickal vs. de Ridder
Ponzinibbio vs. Rodriguez
Jackson vs. Marcos
Sidey vs. Smotherman
Jones vs. Stephens
The Prelims