UFC gets ready to rumble this Saturday night at Wells Fargo Arena

After years of anticipation, the wait is over, and the fight is here.

Central Iowa, get ready to rumble. The Ultimate Fighting Championship has arrived.

The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Fight Night rolls into Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines Saturday, May 3, featuring a primetime main event matchup of bantamweights No. 4 ranked Cory Sandhagen and No. 5 ranked Deiveson Figueiredo, as well as a bout between No. 13 ranked Reiner de Ridder and Bo Nickal co-main event.

The fights will be available exclusively on ESPN2 and ESPN+. Tickets are available at the venue box office or https://hyveetix.evenue.net/.

Sandhagen (17-5) is looking to reinsert himself as a title contender No. 4 UFC bantamweight. Sandhagen holds wins over Rob Font, Marlon Vera, and Song Yadong, seven of which have been by knockout, and  three via submission. The Soure, Para, Brazil native Figueiredo (24-4-1) is the current No. 5 UFC bantamweight and former UFC flyweight champion. Nine of his wins have come by knockout, and nine via submission.

Also in the card, unbeaten Bo Nickel (7-0) will put his unblemished record on the line against No. 13 UFC Middleweight Reiner de Ridder (19-2).

Other fights on the undercard will include UFC veteran Santiago Ponzinibbio (31-8) meeting Dana White’s Contender Series signee Daniel Rodriguez (18-5) for a welterweight matchup. Bantamweights face off as No. 15 ranked Montel Jackson (15-2) meets Daniel Marcos (17-0).

Dana White’s Contender Series alums Cameron Smotherman (12-4) and Serhiy Sidey (11-2) meet for a bantamweight bout, and local favorite Jeremy Stephens (29-21) returns to the UFC in front of his hometown crowd to collide with Mason Jones (11-2) for a lightweight tilt.

An exciting women’s bantamweight bout sees No. 10 ranked Yana Santos (15-8) square off with former UFC bantamweight champion and No. 11 ranked contender Miesha Tate (20-9), and The Ultimate Fighter season 32 middleweight winner Ryan Loder (8-1) battles Azamat Bekoev (19-3).

Also on the fight card:
Marina Rodriguez (17-5-2) vs. Gillian Robertson (15-8).
Gaston Bolanos (8-4) vs. Quang Le (8-2).
Thomas Petersen (9-3) vs. Don’Tale Mayes (11-8).
Juliana Miller (4-3) and Ivana Petrovic (7-2).

Doors open at 5 p.m. at Wells Fargo Arena, with the event beginning at 6 p.m.