Deiveson Figueiredo cannot afford to lose at UFC 332
Deiveison Figueiredo will look to turn back the clock with a reported return at UFC 332, but a win is now fundamental if he hopes to keep his spot on the UFC roster.
All signs point to a Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Payton Talbott bout set for UFC 332 on Oct. 3. The fight, if it takes place as reported, will be a must-win situation for the 38-year-old Figueiredo, who could be on the verge of looking for a new promotion to fight for.
Deiveson Figueiredo is at a career crossroads
UFC 332 is expected to host a passing of the torch in Salt Lake City. Deiveson Figueiredo will attempt to turn his luck around against a next generation fighter in Payton Talbott. The two men are in very different places in their careers, with Figueiredo struggling to recapture the magic of his glory days. At one point, he was a borderline unbeaten fighter, with just one loss on his record and a UFC flyweight title. While many expected him to reign as a dominant champion, his storied rivalry with Brandon Moreno, who beat him twice, exposed his limits. The 125-pound weight cut, it seemed, was too brutal. So, with no other choice, he moved up to bantamweight.
Deiveson Figueiredo submits Cody Garbrandt and embraces him after the fight š¤ #UFC300 pic.twitter.com/9aSir9Qi1B
At first, the move proved successful, with Figueiredo racking up three straight wins, including a second-round submission of ex-bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt at UFC 300. That, however, was the end of his purple patch. He went 1-4 in his next five fights, with his only win being a split-decision over Montel Jackson at UFC Fight Night 261. This skid dashed his hopes of ever becoming a champion at bantamweight, and now he may very well be fighting for his place in the promotion. Things, however, couldn't be be more different for his reported opponent, Talbott, who is coming off back-to-back unanimous decision wins over Felipe Lima and Henry Cejudo at UFC 317 and UFC 323 respectively.
For Figueiredo, the possibility of this being his last UFC fight is real. Aging veterans have long been used to build up younger fighters, but he won't want to be another fighter of yesteryear fed to a young lion. However, another loss would leave him at 1-5 in his last six fights, and at 38 years old no less. He'd be on a three-fight losing streak in a deep division that he's already ranked #9 in by the media panel, and #11 by Meta UFC.
SONG YADONG SUBMITS DEIVESON FIGUEIREDO IN ROUND 2 #UFCMacau pic.twitter.com/TzXaqgDPNq
ā Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) May 30, 2026
With no prospects of ever fighting for another title again, Figueiredo's options are limited in the event of a loss. He can't go back down to flyweight, as the weight cut is too grueling. Bantamweight is too competitive for an aging, undersized ex-flyweight, and featherweight would be even worse. To preserve his spot on the UFC roster, Figueiredo must win at UFC 332.
