After conquering the UFC’s flyweight class, Deiveson Figueiredo is poised for another shot at gold in the bantamweight division. Since making the move up in weight back in December 2023, the former two-time 125-lb. champion has looked amazing, winning three fights in a row over such established contenders like Rob Font, Cody Garbrandt, and Marlon Vera. His greatest challenge at 135 lbs. lies just ahead of him, though, as he goes to war with another former title holder in Russia’s Petr Yan at UFC Fight Night 248 this weekend.
Having held both the division’s interim and undisputed titles at one point, Yan will easily be the stiffest competition Figueiredo has faced so far in his new home at bantamweight. Although he has lost a lot of momentum in recent years following disappointing losses to Aljamain Sterling, Sean O’Malley, and Merab Dvalishvili, “No Mercy” recently got back on track back in March at UFC 299, where he trounced elite Chinese striker Song Yadong.
Should Figueiredo manage to brush past Yan, that will make two previous 135-lb. kings that he has beaten; the first being the aforementioned Garbrandt. For the rising “Deus Da Guerra,” however, the true prize still remains the bantamweight title, which he may very well be fighting for in 2025 if he takes down Yan in impressive fashion.
Deiveson Figuereido Moves to Bantamweight
In the wake of dropping his flyweight championship to his rival, Brandon Moreno at UFC 283, Figueiredo made his long-awaited jump to the 135-lb. division 11 months later at UFC on ESPN: Dariush vs. Tsarukyan. There, he clashed with the then number eight-ranked contender, Rob Font. Having always been the bigger fighter at 125 lbs., the Brazilian appeared noticeably smaller than Font, who held the height and reach advantage both by a whole three inches.
Although he was outmatched in terms of size, Figueiredo was at one time one of the UFC’s pound-for-pound best competitors, having once defended his flyweight strap two times and fought a championship tetralogy with Moreno for more than three years. This experience proved immensely valuable for Figueiredo, who soundly defeated Font with a trio of 30-27’s across all of the judge’s scorecards; he even rocked Font badly in the third round.
AUSTIN, TEXAS – DECEMBER 02: (R-L) Rob Font and Deiveson Figueiredo of Brazil exchange pujnch in a bantamweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at Moody Center on December 02, 2023 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
A Postponement Doesn’t Deter “Deus Da Guerra”
This magnificent debut in the division earned “Deus Da Guerra” a preliminary contest with former bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt at UFC 300. In the past, these two were originally scheduled to compete at UFC 255 in 2020, but the fight ended up being canceled.
While both men are revered for their striking prowess, it was Garbrandt who initially got the better of his Brazilian adversary, clipping Figueiredo with some significant shots in the first round. That was until Figueiredo drugged Garbrandt to the canvas in the second round and ended the bout with a textbook rear-naked choke to continue his ascension at bantamweight.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – APRIL 13: (L-R) Deiveson Figueiredo of Brazil kicks Cody Garbrandt in a bantamweight fight during the UFC 300 event at T-Mobile Arena on April 13, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
Figuereido Dispenses of O’Malley
This leads into Figueiredo’s most recent outing at UFC on ABC: Sandhagen vs. Nurmagomedov. Taking his talents all the way to the Middle East, he collided with the tough-as-nails Marlon Vera, who was coming off a loss after challenging then-135-lb. kingpin Sean O’Malley.
The contest played out evenly during rounds one and two, as both men landed an assortment of head and body punches against each other. Going into the third, the scores were all tied up on at least two of the scorecards, this meant Figueiredo was going to have to put on a statement in the last stanza of the bout to secure the victory.
Well-known for his durability, Vera had never been knocked down throughout his more than 30 fight career. He had momentarily been dropped to one knee in his encounter with O’Malley, however, no had ever been able to put the Ecuadorian firmly on the canvas with strikes. Halfway through the third round, though, Figueiredo popped Vera with a staggering punch that sent him tumbling to the ground, becoming the first man to ever do so to “Chito.” This feat helped Figueiredo to win both the round and eventually the fight, extending his win streak in the division to three in a row.
ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – AUGUST 03: (L-R) Deiveson Figueiredo of Brazil kicks Marlon Vera of Ecuador in a bantamweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at Etihad Arena on August 03, 2024 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
What Happens Next?
On the cusp of title contention, Figueiredo likely only needs to pick up a victory over Yan to earn a shot at 135-lb. gold, where he will attempt to become the tenth fighter in UFC history to hold titles in two different weight classes. Although the Russian presents a stern challenge for “Deus Da Guerra” on the feet, Figueiredo appears to be better than ever as he prepares to make the walk for his fourth fight at bantamweight against a proven champion-level adversary.
