Deiveson Figueiredo

UFC proceeding with Figueiredo – Moreno 4

by

Back at UFC 270, the flyweight title was on the line in the third installment of Deiveson Figueiredo (21-2-1) – Brandon Moreno (19-6-2). These two men had fought each other two straight times and in January, we saw the third fight.

In the first fight at UFC 256, Figueiredo and Moreno fought an incredibly close fight. However, the fight was ultimately decided by a low blow. Figueiredo landed a kick that landed low and had a point taken away from him.

That point ultimately led to the fight being a draw. The UFC decided to run the fight back immediately and Brandon Moreno had his time to shine. Moreno shined on the biggest stage and became the UFC’s first Mexican-Born champion in June of 2021.

After the first two fights, the promotion decided to run things back for a third time in January. The fight was very close with both men hurting the other at times. However, Figueiredo looked much better and way more sharp in the third fight than he did in the second.

While the fight was very close, all three judges awarded the fight to Figueiredo and he regained the flyweight title. Now, the two men have fought three times with a different result in each contest.

UFC’s Fourth Installment

After the fight ended in January, there were questions regarding whether or not the UFC would do the fourth fight right away. We now know the answer to that and for the first time ever, we are going to see a fourth title fight between two men.

Ariel Helwani reported yesterday that the UFC is proceeding with making the fourth fight between Moreno and Figueiredo. Now, there are still question marks regarding the date, but the word is that July is the current target for this matchup.

These are clearly the two best flyweights in the world and whoever wins this one, will win the series. It’s time to settle who is truly the UFC’s best.

What’s next for Brandon Moreno after UFC 270?

by

This past weekend at UFC 270, we saw the third fight between Deiveson Figueiredo (21-2-1) and Brandon Moreno (19-6-2). Moreno was defending his title against the former champion who was seeking redemption.

The first fight took place back in December of 2020 with the two men fighting to a draw. Then, at UFC 263, Moreno completely dominated Figueiredo and became the flyweight champion of the world.

The third fight was much more like the first fight. In the first round, Moreno was looking sharp. His speed and power seemed to be bothering Figueiredo. However, the challenger was landing big power shots of his own.

In the third round, Moreno was dropped a couple of times by Figueiredo. Personally, I had it 2-2 heading into the final round at UFC 270. Moreno had a strong final minute, but overall, I felt that Figueiredo won the fifth round.

Given the fact that the fight was in California and Moreno was the champion, I expected Moreno win despite scoring it 3-2 Figueiredo. I was just as stunned as most to hear all three judges give the fight and the UFC flyweight championship to Deiveson Figueiredo.

What’s next after UFC 270?

The question now becomes, what’s next for Brandon Moreno? Well, there is a very easy answer to that question and the answer is to do the Figueiredo fight for a fourth time. So far in three fights, the series is 1-1-1.

After all of this time in the cage and after UFC 270, it feels like we still don’t have clarity as to who is the best flyweight in the world. Making the fourth fight makes sense, but also, it would continue to tie up the division.

There’s already whispers that the Kai Kara-France – Askar Askarov fight could produce the next flyweight challenger. Despite the series being even, Moreno might need one more win to secure the fourth fight with the champion.

If the UFC decides against the fourth fight, what fight makes sense for Moreno? There’s a clear answer to that as well and that’s Alexandre Pantoja (24-5). Originally, Pantoja was going to get the title shot against Brandon Moreno before Figueiredo would get his rematch.

However, Pantoja wouldn’t be ready in time due to injuries. With that, the UFC decided to pivot to the trilogy. The fight still makes sense for both men and if you count The Ultimate Fighter exhibitions, Moreno is 0-2 against Pantoja. Perhaps it’s time to run it back.

What’s next for Deiveson Figueiredo after UFC 270?

by

This past Saturday in the co-main event of UFC 270, we saw the third installment of a flyweight rivalry. Brandon Moreno (19-6-2) was looking to defend his flyweight championship against the former champion Deiveson Figueiredo (21-2-1).

These two first met back in December of 2020. The fight was razor close and they fought to a draw. However, if Figueiredo hadn’t thrown a kick that landed low, he would’ve walked away with his hand raised.

Then, they fought again last summer. Moreno dominated the fight and stopped Figueiredo to become the UFC flyweight champion. Immediately, the trilogy fight was booked between the two men.

It was evident from the opening minutes that this was going to be a much different fight. In the early portions of the fight, I was liking the way Moreno was looking. However, Figueiredo was connecting with big attacks.

He was doing big damage to the legs of Moreno and in the middle rounds, he dropped Moreno a couple of times. The final round was extremely close. I thought Figueiredo did enough at UFC 270 and all three judges did as well and he once again became the flyweight champion.

What’s next after UFC 270?

So far, we have seen three fights between Figueiredo and Moreno. The results have been different each time with each men winning a fight and there being one draw. The immediate thought after UFC 270 is to do the fight a fourth time.

However, is that the direction the UFC will go in? If they do the fight a fourth time, it would be almost two years where the title was being contested between Figueiredo and Moreno. While no fans would likely complain, the top contenders might take issue.

With that in mind, I’m not convinced the fourth fight will be next. Certainly I’m not saying it won’t happen, but it’s not the only option. One fight to watch out for is the fight between Kai Kara-France (23-9) and Askar Askarov (14-0-1).

These two men fight in March and I could see the winner getting the next title shot. In the meantime, Moreno might get another fight and if Figueiredo and Moreno both win, the fourth fight could be setup for either the end of the year or sometime in early 2023.

Deiveson Figueiredo edges Brandon Moreno in an classic at UFC 270

by

In the co-main event of UFC 270, we saw the third installment of a rivalry in the flyweight division. Former flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo (20-2-1) was looking to regain his title as he took on the current undisputed flyweight champion Brandon Moreno (19-5-2).

These two men first fought in December of 2020 and virtually no one was giving Moreno a chance. However, Moreno showed the world that he could compete with Figueiredo. The two men fought to a draw that night.

In the rematch, Moreno completely dominated and won the UFC flyweight title. Since then, Figueiredo has completely changed up his training. He has moved his camp to Arizona where he trains with former two-division champion Henry Cejudo. In fact, Cejudo was in his corner tonight.

UFC 270 Recap

Round 1

The UFC 270 flyweight title fight kicked off with a touch of the gloves. Figueiredo takes the center of the cage and begins to work his feints. Big low kick from Figueiredo lands. Low kick attempt from Figueiredo and he slips. Moreno jumps on him and pushes him against the fence.

Heavy clinch pressure from Moreno here. Figueiredo reverses the position and pushes Moreno against the fence. Stalemate here against the fence and they break. Figueiredo works his way in with two jabs and he briefly drops Moreno with a leg kick.

Moreno pops right back up. Nice right hand lands for the champion. Another brutal low kick lands for Figueiredo that sits Moreno down but Moreno lands a nice counter right on the way up. Figueiredo backs up and Moreno takes the center.

Moreno tries to throw a combination but he lands right in a body lock from Figueiredo. Figueiredo briefly takes Moreno down but a scramble and they are right back up. Another low kick lands from Figueiredo.

Spinning attack from Moreno and Moreno lands another low kick. Body kick from Figueiredo. Big jab from Figueiredo backs up Moreno and he lands a body kick behind it. Good first round for the former champion and it’s 1-0 Figueiredo at UFC 270.

Round 2

Entering the second at UFC 270 and it’s clear that this is a much different fight than the second. Figueiredo takes the center and immediately starts pressuring. Moreno misses on a combination and Figueiredo misses on a takedown attempt. Nice left hook lands for Moreno.

Both men missing wildly here and they reset. Nice low kick from Figueiredo. 1-2 lands for Figueiredo and Moreno looks to counter. Low kick from Moreno find it’s home. Both men trade left hands then they scramble. That was fun and they end up on their feet.

Huge left hand lands for Moreno and Figueiredo waves him on. Hook to the body for Moreno lands. Low kick from Moreno and the champion is building momentum. Front kick from Figueiredo. Moreno lands a nice combination as Figueiredo comes in.

Power jab lands for Moreno. The champion is looking extremely confident here in the second round. Low kick from the champion. Figueiredo rips a body combination and the two men trade big shots. Two straight massive right hands for Figueiredo find the mark.

However, Moreno counters with a big shot of his own that seemed to hurt Figueiredo. Solid action here in the final minute. Second round comes to a close and I give the second to the UFC champion so I have it 1-1.

Round 3

Entering the third at UFC 270 and I think Moreno definitely has more momentum here. Figueiredo takes the center to open the third round and he lands a big leg kick. Looping hook just misses from Moreno. Moreno tries to run into a knee but Figueiredo gets a body lock and gets a takedown.

Moreno scrambles to his feet but eats a knee to the body. Low kick lands from Figueiredo. Counter leg kick lands from Moreno. Figueiredo lands a left hook that sends Moreno spinning. Moreno rolls and he seems okay. Moreno lands a nice shot and Figueiredo smiles.

Figueiredo lands a low kick but eats a vicious jab from Moreno. Both men trade power shots in the center. Another big low kick from Figueiredo knocks Moreno down briefly. Big combination from Moreno and Figueiredo smiles.

Big calf kick again lands for Figueiredo. Low kick lands for Moreno and he lands a nice 1-2 behind it. Moreno trying to time Figueiredo’s leg kicks here. Nice jab from Figueiredo lands. Both men exchange big left hands in the center.

Another big exchange by both men. Huge right hand from Figueiredo and Moreno gets sit down in the final seconds. Big end to the round and it’s 2-1 Figueiredo at UFC 270 on my scorecard.

Round 4

Entering the championship round at UFC 270 and this is anyone’s fight here. Figueiredo immediately starts pressuring to start the fourth. Big low kick from Figueiredo. Moreno circles and now he’s holding the center. Big jab lands for Figueiredo.

Moreno misses wildly and Figueiredo lands a front kick. Low kick from Moreno lands. Big smile from Figueiredo and he lands another good kick. Huge calf kick and a nice left hand lands for the challenger and Figueiredo has a lot of momentum here.

Moreno pushes forward but he’s not throwing with confidence here. Big body kick lands for Moreno. Halfway through the round and Figueiredo lands another low kick but Moreno lands a jab. 1-2 lands for Moreno. Figueiredo gets a body lock and gets the back of Moreno.

However, Moreno stays on his feet. Knees to the thigh for Figueiredo. Lots of fence pressure here from Figueiredo. Moreno gets separation and these two just start throwing in tight. Body kick lands for Moreno.

Body kick counter from Figueiredo. They clinch in the final seconds and that’s the round. Very close round but just for the hell of it, I’ll score it for the UFC champion.

Round 5

Entering the final round at UFC 270 and I think it’s even. Both men look fresh and here we go. Moreno pushing hard here and the two men miss their first combination. Moreno gets a body lock and a takedown in the opening seconds of the round. Huge for Moreno.

Figueiredo forces a scramble and he gets right back to his feet. Jab from Figueiredo. Low kick from Figueiredo and a counter hook from Moreno. Nice hook to the body lands for Moreno. 90 seconds gone and a nice elbow lands from Figueiredo.

Left hook lands for Figueiredo. Counter left hook lands for Moreno. Halfway through the final round and the momentum is with the UFC champion. Both men trade jabs and Figueiredo misses badly on a power hook. Combination from the champion.

Huge right hand from Figueiredo sits Moreno down. Moreno pops right back up and they are back to striking. 1-2 lands for Figueiredo and Moreno lands a counter. One minute left in the final round. Low kick from Moreno.

Not a lot of action here in the final seconds. Lots of feints from both men. Low kick from Figueiredo. Huge right hands land for Figueiredo and Moreno seems hurt. Both men start trading in the center landing massive shots in the final seconds. The round comes to a close and I think Figueiredo edged the round, but I think the judges will give it to Brandon Moreno.

Deiveson Figueiredo def. Brandon Moreno by Unanimous Decision (48-47, 48-47, 48-47)

A Figueiredo win at UFC 270 would setup history

by

Tomorrow night at UFC 270, we will be watching something we’ve never seen before in the co-main event. We will be watching a trilogy for the flyweight title between the former champion Deiveson Figueiredo (20-2-1) and the current champion Brandon Moreno (19-5-2).

Now, we’ve seen trilogies before in the UFC. Some of the more memorable ones include Daniel Cormier – Stipe Miocic, Georges St. Pierre – Matt Hughes, and Randy Couture – Chuck Liddell. Those trilogies, like this one, centered around a UFC championship.

However, tomorrow night’s trilogy is different in one specific way. Unlike any trilogy we’ve seen before in the UFC, the Moreno – Figueiredo trilogy will be the first time where all three fights have taken place back-to-back-to-back. Never before have all three fights happened in succession.

However, it’s not just historic that reason. There is an outcome at UFC 270 which would set up even more history. That outcome would require a victory from the former champion. If Deiveson Figueiredo recaptures the flyweight title, we will be setup for something truly special.

UFC’s first four-fight series?

If Figueiredo gets his hand raised at UFC 270, the trilogy will have seen a different outcome for all three fights. The first fight being a draw while Moreno and Figueiredo split the second and third. There is only one other trilogy that comes to mind with that specific set of outcomes.

The trilogy I’m thinking of is Gray Maynard and Frankie Edgar. However, their series halted after the third fight and their first fight wasn’t for the title. If Figueiredo wins at UFC 270, we will be set up for a fourth fight between these two men and that’s something we have never seen before.

In boxing, we’ve seen series that go to four fights. However, the UFC has never seen a championship series go beyond a trilogy. We could be on the cusp of that tomorrow night. In my official prediction/preview, I picked Figueiredo to recapture the flyweight championship.

If that prediction comes to pass, we are going to see a fourth fight between these two men. The only way this rivalry ends at UFC 270 is if Brandon Moreno hears Bruce Buffer say, “And Still”.

UFC 270 Preview: Brandon Moreno – Deiveson Figueiredo 3

by

Tomorrow night in the co-main event of UFC 270, we will see the third installment of a budding rivalry in the flyweight division. Former flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo (20-2-1) will be looking to regain his title as he takes on the current undisputed flyweight champion Brandon Moreno (19-5-2).

For Figueiredo, he’s going to be looking to bounce back after losing the title to Moreno. These two men first fought in December of 2020 and virtually no one was giving Moreno a chance. However, Moreno showed the world that he could compete with Figueiredo. The two men fought to a draw that night.

In the rematch, Moreno completely dominated and won the UFC flyweight title. Since then, Figueiredo has completely changed up his training. He has moved his camp to Arizona where he trains with former two-division champion Henry Cejudo. In fact, Cejudo will be in his corner at UFC 270.

The former champion has taken this fight very seriously and looked better than ever at the weight-ins. However, it’s going to take his best efforts to regain the title. Brandon Moreno looked better by miles when they fought at UFC 263 and it’ll be interesting if he can repeat that.

UFC 270 Prediction

I honestly wouldn’t mind if both of these men fought ten times. That’s how good I think they both are and I believe that they are very evenly matched. I don’t believe Moreno is that much better than Figueiredo. I think the second fight was more of a case of Figueiredo fighting horribly and Moreno having the best performance of his career.

If they both fight to their best at UFC 270, this is going to be another classic fight. One thing Moreno has on Figueiredo is speed. That was one thing that really stood out in the rematch was how much faster Moreno was. However, Figueiredo still is going to hold a big power advantage.

One area to watch at UFC 270 is the quick grappling exchanges. We’ve seen both of these men jump on submissions insanely quickly and finish fights. If one slips up, the other can quickly take advantage. I keep going back-and-forth on my pick for this fight.

Something in my gut says that Deiveson Figueiredo is going to recapture the UFC title tomorrow night. I think he’s going to catch Moreno with a big shot and then catch a submission in a scramble. Ultimately, I think this will end up setting up a fourth fight between the two men.

Prediction: Deiveson Figueiredo by Submission (Round 2 – Guillotine Choke)

Who will be UFC champion after 2022? (Flyweight – Lightweight)

by

2021 was an incredible year for the UFC. This year, the world’s biggest MMA promotion welcomed back fans in the arenas after 2020 ended with empty arenas due to the ongoing pandemic.

Thinking back, there were so many memorable moments for the promotion. Starting the year at UFC 257 where Dustin Poirier stopped Conor McGregor in the second round. Then they rematched at UFC 264 and the fight ended with Conor McGregor snapping his leg.

There was UFC 261 that saw the first sellout for the promotion since shutting things down in 2020. Kamaru Usman knocked Jorge Masvidal out cold. Rose Namajunas knocked out Zhang Weili to become a two-time strawweight champion.

Of course, how could you not mention UFC 269 where Julianna Pena shocked the world by stopping Amanda Nunes. I could go on and on about how big of a year this was for the promotion. So many titles changed hands and so many epic fights.

Now, it’s time for the UFC to look forward to 2022. Last year, we published our predictions for who we believed would be champions once 2021 ended and it was a mixed bag of results. That said, let’s preview 2021 and predict who will be UFC champions at the end of next year.

UFC 2022 Champions

Flyweight – Deiveson Figueiredo

Currently the UFC flyweight champion is Brandon Moreno (19-5-2). Moreno defeated Deiveson Figueiredo (20-2-1) earlier this year for the flyweight title. These two ended 2020 with an incredible fight that saw the two men fight to a draw.

They ran things back this year and Moreno completely dominated the fight and submitted Figueiredo. They will fight for a third time at UFC 270 in January. Now, the popular pick right now is taking Brandon Moreno. In trilogies, whoever wins the second fight is much more likely to win the third.

However, I still believe that Figueiredo is the best flyweight in the world when he’s at his best. I don’t believe we saw the best Figueiredo during their second fight. I think he’s going to be motivated for this third fight and I think he takes the belt back and keeps it for the rest of 2022.

Bantamweight – Petr Yan

Currently, the UFC bantamweight champion is Aljamain Sterling (20-3). Petr Yan (16-2) is the interim champion. These two fought back in March and Yan was dominating the fight. However, Sterling won the title after Yan hit him with an illegal knee in the fourth round.

Due to neck surgery, we haven’t seen Sterling since. Yan went on to fight and defeat Cory Sandhagen for the interim title back at UFC 267. Make no mistake about it, Petr Yan is the best bantamweight in the world.

He’s going to fight Sterling in the first part of 2022 and I think he finishes him. After that, he’s likely going to have to face TJ Dillashaw (17-4) at some point and that’s going to be a very tough fight. However, I don’t see anyone at 135 defeating Yan next year.

Featherweight – Alexander Volkanovski

Arguably the one UFC champion that I feel like I’ve underestimated the most is Alexander Volkanovski (23-1). I thought the featherweight champion was the third best featherweight entering 2021 behind Max Holloway and Brian Ortega.

When the year started, I thought Ortega would become champion. However, Volkanovski showed the world that he was the best featherweight when he brutalized Ortega at UFC 267. In reality, Volkanovski is likely going to have his trilogy with Max Holloway next.

There just isn’t any other appealing contenders in the UFC’s featherweight division. When Holloway defeated Calvin Kattar to start 2021, he looked like the best in the world. However, he didn’t against Yair Rodriguez while Volkanovski did against Ortega.

I think Volkanovski will defeat Holloway for a third time in 2022 and I think he will close the year as the UFC’s featherweight champion. Who knows, Volkanovski might even try to move up to lightweight after defeating Holloway for a third time.

Lightweight – Charles Oliveira

The division with the biggest stars in the sport is the UFC’s lightweight division. The lightweight division is incredibly stacked with big names and big talents. That said, nobody in the world is better than the champion, Charles Oliveira (32-8).

Oliveira has shown the world this year just how special he is. In the last 12 months, he’s brutalized Tony Ferguson and finished both Michael Chandler and Dustin Poirier. Next, he will take on Justin Gaethje (23-3). Gaethje will be another massive challenge, but I’m picking Oliveira in that one.

The one guy to watch to challenge Oliveira is Islam Makhachev (21-1). The only man in the world I think who can beat Oliveira right now is Khabib Nurmagomedov. Khabib is of course retired, but his protégé fights very similar to him.

Makhavchev is fighting Beneil Dariush in the first part of 2022. Whoever wins that fight will be in line for a UFC title shot. Assuming Oliveira gets through Gaethje, I think we are setting up for a late summer clash between Oliviera and Makhachev.

UFC books trilogy between Brandon Moreno and Deiveson Figueiredo

by

The trilogy is one for the UFC flyweight title. ESPN’s Brett Okamoto broke the news this evening that the promotion has finalized the third fight between the flyweight champion Brandon Moreno (19-5-2) and the former champion Deiveson Figueiredo (20-2-1).

The flyweight title fight will take place at UFC 269 on December 11th. Now, the UFC was actually leaning away from doing the trilogy with Moreno and Figueiredo. Originally, the promotion wanted Alexandre Pantoja to be the next challenger.

Pantoja and Moreno have history and Pantoja holds victories over Moreno. However, Pantoja wasn’t going to be ready until the beginning of next year and the UFC flyweight champion wanted to stay active.

With that in mind, the promotion went back to the former champion Figueiredo. Figueiredo has been asking the UFC for the third fight ever since he lost the title back in June to Moreno.

The two’s first fight was December 12th last year and the two fought to a draw. However, if it weren’t for a low blow which led to a point being taken, Figueiredo would’ve retained his UFC title that night and we likely wouldn’t have seen the rematch.

UFC 269 Flyweight Title Fight

That being said, a point was taken from Figueiredo and the fight was declared a draw. When the two rematched back in June at UFC 263, it was all Brandon Moreno. Moreno dominated the entire fight and submitted Figueiredo in the third round.

It’s been quite the journey for the UFC’s flyweight champion. He was the last pick on The Ultimate Fighter and he lost early on in the show. After having an okay run during his first stint with the UFC, the promotion cut him.

Since coming back to the UFC, it’s been all up for Moreno. Moreno started with a draw with Askar Askarov, but has since gone 4-0-1 which includes his title victory over Figueiredo back in June.

These two will meet almost a year exactly to the date of their first fight. If Figueiredo wins, there’s a clear case for a fourth fight. However, if Moreno wins, he can cement his status as the best and put the Figueiredo saga behind him.

After UFC Vegas 34, should Alexandre Pantoja be next for Brandon Moreno?

by

This past weekend at UFC Vegas 34, we saw a pivotal matchup in the flyweight division. Alexandre Pantoja (23-5) was looking to pick up his second consecutive win while his opponent Brandon Royval (12-5) was looking to bounce back.

Pantoja entered the contest as the third ranked flyweight in the UFC. He’s had a very impressive run so far in his career with the promotion and this fight with Royval was a chance for him to make a statement about where he stands in the division.

The UFC flyweight champion Brandon Moreno (19-5-2) was in attendance as well so it made things even more intriguing. From the opening bell, this fight was all about Alexandre Pantoja.

He was able to control the fight and in the second round, he moved in for the kill. Pantoja was able to secure a dominant position on the back of Royval and locked in a rear naked choke.

Royval was forced to tap and Pantoja got the win at UFC Vegas 34. After the win, Pantoja called for a fight with Moreno and said that having defeated the champion previously, he should be next in line for the title.

Who should be next for the UFC’s flyweight title?

Pantoja does make an interesting argument. He’s ranked in the top three and he’s riding a two-fight win streak that should have him in the conversation for a UFC title shot.

That said, it might be a tough sell considering the two men that stand in front of him. Directly in front of him is Askar Askarov (13-0-1). Askarov and Pantoja just fought last year during the UFC’s first trip to Fight Island.

The Russian was able to defeat Pantoja be decision. Back in March, Askarov dominated Joseph Benavidez to pick up his third straight UFC victory. Like Pantoja, Askarov has also fought the champion. While Pantoja has a win over Moreno, Askarov fought him to a draw.

In front of Askarov is the former UFC flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo (20-2-1). It’s crazy to think that if Figueiredo doesn’t land a kick that goes low, the UFC title picture at 125 would look completely different.

On the scorecards, Figueiredo would’ve defeated Brandon Moreno back in December. However, the deduction of a point due to the low kick caused the fight to end in a draw. In the immediate rematch, Moreno dominated and won the title.

Now, Figueiredo is calling for his rematch. The UFC is said to be considering it given how dominate Figueiredo was as champion. However, it’s far from a guarantee with Moreno leaning towards a new matchup after fighting Figueiredo two straight times.

I’m not sure what exactly is next at 125, but the flyweight division is incredibly intriguing right now. While Pantoja did look impressive over the weekend, I don’t believe he’s going to be next in line.

UFC 263 Preview: Deiveson Figueiredo – Brandon Moreno 2

by

In the co-main event of UFC 263, we will see a flyweight title rematch from one of the fights of the year in 2020. The flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo (20-1-1) is back to defend his title against top contender Brandon Moreno (18-5-2).

These two men first met back at UFC 256 in December. In late November last year, Figueiredo successfully defended his title against Alex Perez. Figueiredo won quickly in the first round while taking no damage.

Earlier that evening, Brandon Moreno won in the first round as well. The UFC needed a headliner for their December PPV after the card had been hit by injuries. With both flyweights coming out of UFC 255 clean, the promotion turned them around and had them headline the December PPV.

The two men went to war in an instant classic. Figueiredo started extremely fast looking for the finish, but Brandon Moreno was game. Moreno took the best shots from the champion and would fire right back.

Overall, Figueiredo was getting the better of Moreno ever so slightly in December. However, a massive kick that landed low cost Figueiredo a point. That one-point deduction took away a decision win for Figueiredo and made the fight a draw.

Since the two men fought to a draw, the UFC decided to run things back tomorrow night. This is a popular pick for fight of the night and it’s easy to see why. I don’t see how these two are even capable of putting on a boring performance.

UFC 263 Prediction

The UFC 263 co-main event is going to be a sensational fight. I honestly can’t wait to watch this rematch between Deiveson Figueiredo and Brandon Moreno. Now, going into the fight, Figueiredo should be a decent sized favorite.

I believe that both men fought well in December, but Moreno fought a lot closer to his potential than Figueiredo in my opinion. With Moreno fighting one of the best fights he could possibly fight, he still would have lost if it wasn’t for a low blow.

Not too mention that the UFC confirmed that Figueiredo spent the night before the fight in the hospital. The best Moreno still couldn’t beat Figueiredo when Figueiredo wasn’t at his best.

Ultimately, I just believe that Deiveson Figueiredo is the best flyweight in the world. I’m expecting these two to go to war again, but I think Figueiredo will find his finishing blow this time. I believe Figueiredo will become the first man to finish Brandon Moreno at UFC 263.

Prediction: Deiveson Figueiredo by TKO – Round 3