News of T.J. Dillashaw’s adverse drug test results and subsequent suspension has Deiveson Figueiredo in high spirits ahead of his UFC Nashville clash against Jussier Formiga this Saturday.
Deiveson Figueiredo has no publicized animosity with T.J. Dillashaw, so there is no reason to believe that he takes pleasure in T.J. Dillashaw’s career being upended, but the #4-ranked flyweight openly confesses that he is happy because of what this upending opens up for his own career:
“The rematch between Dillashaw and Cejudo won’t happen anytime soon after the news that he tested positive, so that helps me a lot,” Figueiredo told MMA Fighting. “To me, a win over Formiga will definitely put me in a title fight against Cejudo.”
Dana White, Henry Cejudo, and T.J. Dillashaw were all on board for a rematch between Cejudo and Dillashaw after Cejudo’s first round TKO of Dillashaw at UFC on ESPN+ 1. And had that fight been booked, all the flyweights and bantamweights awaiting title-shot opportunities would have continued to do just that: wait. But now that T.J. Dillashaw has reportedly been suspended by the New York State Athletic Commission (NYSAC) for one year due to failing a USADA-administered drug test, that wait just became a lot shorter, and Deiveson Figueiredo’s path to gold a lot clearer:
“If (Cejudo) really doesn’t want to fight (at flyweight) anymore, that opens space for a new title fight,” Figueiredo continued. “That opens a huge gap for a new championship fight. I’m happy with those news, man.”
In light of T.J. Dillashaw’s suspension, do you believe Deiveson Figueiredo will earn a flyweight title shot in 2019?
