For UFC president Dana White, booking Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Joseph Benavidez II was never in question.
Figueiredo and Benavidez collided back in February. The bout was supposed to be for the vacant UFC flyweight title. A new champion would’ve only been crowned had Benavidez won as Figueiredo missed weight. Figueiredo ended up stopping Benavidez in the second stanza.
Dana White Talks Booking Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Joseph Benavidez II
White spoke to reporters ahead of UFC on ESPN+ 30 and explained why he didn’t hesitate when it came to matching up Figueiredo and Benavidez a second time (via MMAJunkie).
“It was everything (from the first fight that made the rematch),” White said. “That fight was a no-brainer to redo. We had to redo it. So here we are. Now everything’s perfect. No excuses, no controversy, hopefully – hopefully, we answer all the questions (Saturday) night.”
Many are of the belief that this will be Benavidez’s final UFC title opportunity. Benavidez has admitted that this is probably his last crack at UFC gold but he intends on making the most of it by finally capturing the gold that has eluded him throughout his pro MMA career.
As for Figueiredo, he’ll be looking to finish what he started. The narrative going into the rematch has been the effectiveness of an accidental headbutt in the first encounter between Figueiredo and Benavidez. Figueiredo has downplayed the notion that the headbutt changed the outcome of the fight.
Benavidez admits that Figueiredo’s demeanor towards the headbutt has bothered him. While Benavidez says things aren’t personal with Figueiredo, he makes it clear that he doesn’t like his foe.
MMA News will be providing live coverage of UFC on ESPN+ 30 on Saturday night. We’ll be bringing you live results, highlights, and all the post-fight goodness you will need.
