UFC Des Moines bonuses and aftermath: Reinier de Ridder and three others win $50K, Bo Nickal defeated, Jeremy Stephens ties a record, and more

UFC Des Moines saw the world's biggest MMA promotion return to the state of Iowa for the first time since 2000. The card took place at the Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Iowa, on May 3. The night was made all the more anticipated given the return of UFC veteran and Des Moines native, Jeremy Stephens.

As the promotion so often does, it broke the arena record for the largest live gate ever recorded, as per the UFC and the TKO Group's official Instagram page. The event was sold-out, and as per the post generated a live gate of $2,476, 690.

The main event of the card saw a top-five bantamweight showdown unfold, as Cory Sandhagen and Deiveson Figueiredo went to war. The American dominated much of the opening round before securing a stoppage win after his opponent suffered an injury during a grappling exchange in Round 2.

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'The Sandman' is desperate for a title shot and has offered to be the back-up fighter for the bantamweight title fight between Merab Dvalishvili and Sean O'Malley, set to take place at UFC 316.

Check out Cory Sandhagen's interview at UFC Des Moines below:

The co-main event saw touted middleweight prospect Bo Nickal come up against his toughest test to date in the shape of Reinier de Ridder. Having signed with the UFC from ONE Championship, de Ridder has won all three of his UFC fights via stoppage, as he landed a brutal body shot that finished Nickal in Des Moines.

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The performances of de Riddier and Sandhagen were enough to see them secure a $50,000 bonus. Alongside them, bantamweight Quang Le and middleweight Azaman Bekoev secured a $50,000 bonus for their respective stoppage victories.

Check out the UFC Des Moines bonuses below:

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UFC Des Moines welcomed back hometown hero Jeremy Stephens, who kicked off the main card of the event against another former UFC fighter, Mason Jones. 'Lil' Heathen' was unable to secure the knockout finish he was hoping for, as Jones dominated much of the fight.

It was an entertaining clash for fans to watch, and it went all three rounds, with Jones securing a unanimous decision win. Stephens tied a promotional record that he would not like to maintain, as he now has the most losses in UFC history (19) alongside Clay Guida.

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About the author

Liam is a MMA and Boxing writer at Sportskeeda. His journey into MMA journalism began with a high school diploma in 2017, but his passion for writing led him to diverse experiences, including internships in research and writing roles and accounting work.

Liam's fascination with MMA was sparked by Conor McGregor, with Dustin Poirier's bout against Dan Hooker in 2020 sealing his love for the sport. Poirier remains Liam's favorite fighter, whom he admires for his attitude, fighting style, and persona both inside and outside the cage. He is an advocate for the removal of the 12-6 elbow rule in MMA.

Liam strives to report precise and relevant information by cross-checking his work, reaching out to relevant sources for comments, and adhering to Sportskeeda's guidelines. His work has been recognized on popular MMA platforms, with his article headlines featuring in YouTube recaps and appearing onscreen during an episode of The Joe Rogan Experience.

Outside of work, Liam enjoys playing cricket, practising Brazilian jiu-jitsu, cooking, music, and reading.

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Edited by Anurag Mitra