Former UFC Flyweight Champion Deiveson Figueiredo wants a third fight with the newly crowned champion, Brandon Moreno.
Figueiredo failed to defend his title to Moreno, who handily defeated the Brazilian via third-round rear-naked choke at UFC 263 this past weekend. Moreno became the first Mexican-born UFC champion, a landmark in the UFC’s history.
It was a rematch after their first bout ended in a draw back in December, touted as one of the best fights of 2020 after going back-and-forth in an epic war. However, this time it was clear that the Mexican had done his homework on Figueiredo, came back and dominated the now former champion.
After being defeated with relative ease, Figueiredo expressed in a recent interview with Evy Rodrigues of Combate that he suffered a tough weight cut which ultimately affected his perfomance inside the octagon that night. On account of this reason, the Brazilian has called for an immediate trilogy bout in hopes of regaining the belt he lost.
“It really was the weight cut,” said Figueiredo. “I didn’t have a healthy weight cut, it was really hard to beat the weight. I left the hotel (for the arena) feeling very bad. I knew it wasn’t my day, but I gave it into God’s hands, and going to the Octagon I said, ‘Lord, your will be done.’
Figueiredo believes he got the better of Moreno in their first fight despite it being a draw, citing that the point taken off him for a low blow effectively changed the outcome of it. In his mind, this is what warrants him a trilogy bout to regain his belt back.
“I got in there, I didn’t really fight like I am and I really want to immediately ask for a rematch with Dana (White), and I hope get it because I won the first fight and even so they took a point from me and they decided to tie for the second fight. And now I want the trilogy. He got my belt, the first one I won and we’re going to fight this third fight now to take the fight off.”
Before the loss, Figueiredo was on a high after having an amazing 2020. Several media outlets picked the Brazilian as their fighter of the year after submitting Joseph Benavidez to win the UFC flyweight belt, defended against Alex Perez and then to retain the belt in a fight of the year candidate against Moreno.
Many believed Figueiredo to be champion for a long period after being so dominant in his MMA career. His recent loss is only his second. And from the interview, it seems that the “God Of War” is still hungry to win the belt back .
Do you believe Figueiredo’s weight cut affected him in the fight and is a trilogy bout next for the Brazilian?
