- Deiveson Figueiredo plans to move up and fight for the bantamweight title
- The Brazilian vows not to take on Henry Cejudo in a title fight
UFC flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo is planning to make history this year by becoming a double champion after defending his title against Brandon Moreno at UFC 283. However, the Brazilian insists he’s not going to push through should his “brother” Henry Cejudo ends up becoming the bantamweight champion again.
The champ has one condition
It can be recalled that Deivesion teamed up with Cejudo at Fight Ready gym and “Deus da Guerra” even credited “Triple C” for helping him en route to victory in his latest win. The bond between the pair appears to be so strong that Figueiredo is even ready to set aside his plans of competing for the bantamweight strap if Cejudo manages to reclaim his throne and beat Aljaman Sterling in their looming fight.
“I want to go up a division, up to bantamweight. I want to fight with the bantamweight champion,” Figueiredo said through a translator during a recent appearance on The MMA Hour. “But, [only] if Henry Cejudo is not the champion. If Cejudo get the belt, I will not fight with Cejudo because Cejudo is my brother, he’s helped me when I need, and I couldn’t fight him. But, if Cejudo is not the champion, I will go up a division and challenge the champion to become a double champion.”
Focused on his division
When asked to reveal his specific timeframe in his attempt to move up, Figueiredo said he’s not really thinking about it much at the moment as he is focused on defending his belt against Moreno.
“I’m just gonna try to test myself and be a double champion. But I don’t know now or the next fight. Maybe in the next year… My focus now is in the fight and keep the belt of my division,” the Brazilian admitted.
Figueiredo is already making history in his fourth fight with Moreno as it is the first time in the UFC that two fighters competed against each other four times. What makes it even more special, Figueiredo will be defending his flyweight strap in front of his hometown fans in Brazil for the first time as well.
As for Cejudo, nothing is concrete yet but he is highly touted to become Sterling’s next bantamweight title challenger.
Moreno is the only fighter Figueiredo fought in his last three trips to the Octagon. As it stands, it is 1-1-1 between the two flyweight standouts and the winner in their fourth fight will certainly settle the score.
Both fighters are coming in off a victory. Figueiredo decision Moreno at UFC 270 while “The Assasin Baby” TKO’d Kai Kara France in their interim title fight at UFC 277.
UFC 283 will take place on January 21, 2023, at the Jeunesse Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
