Deiveson Figueiredo aims to secure a bantamweight title shot by defeating Petr Yan in UFC Macau, challenging Dana White’s plan for Umar Nurmagomedov to face Merab Dvalishvili next.
A month after UFC CEO Dana White hinted that Umar Nurmagomedov would be next for Merab Dvalishvili’s bantamweight title, Deiveson Figueiredo has other plans. He’s hoping to change White’s mind with a significant win over Petr Yan in China.
Figueiredo, who once reigned as flyweight champ, is set to headline UFC Macau. He’s facing off against former bantamweight titleholder Petr Yan. Since moving up to 135 pounds, Figueiredo is aiming for his fourth consecutive victory in just over 11 months. He believes this could earn him a shot at another UFC belt.
“It’ll be four wins in a row after Petr Yan,” Figueiredo told MMA Fighting. “The UFC will definitely give me the opportunity to fight for the belt.” He mentioned that Merab has already called him out, and Petr Yan has been doing the same since he moved up in weight. “We’ll fight. [He] has nowhere to run anymore,” he confidently declared. The showdown is set for Saturday.
On the other hand, Umar Nurmagomedov remains undefeated at 18-0 as a professional fighter. His UFC record includes notable finishes over Raoni Barcelos, Brian Kelleher, and Sergey Morozov. Recently, he secured a decision win against Cory Sandhagen. Meanwhile, Figueiredo boasts a 3-0 record at bantamweight with victories over Rob Font, Cody Garbrandt, and Marlon Vera.
“Umar wasn’t tested that much yet,” Figueiredo remarked. He acknowledged Nurmagomedov’s recent high-level opponent but pointed out that it was a matchup that didn’t favor Sandhagen. “He should fight someone else that offers him danger,” he suggested.
“Merab’s plan is to fight me,” Figueiredo continued. “He wants to test himself against me.” Figueiredo is eager for the opportunity and urges Dana White to send the contract his way. At 36 years old, he’s keen on staying active and isn’t wasting any time waiting for his chance.
However, before any of this can happen, Figueiredo must first overcome Yan in their five-round main event in China. He views “No Mercy” as an ideal opponent in terms of style. Yan recently rebounded with a decision win over Yadong Song after suffering three straight losses to Aljamain Sterling, Sean O’Malley, and Merab Dvalishvili.
“Petr Yan has good takedown defense and excellent striking,” Figueiredo noted. But he also pointed out Yan’s lack of grappling skills. “His opponents work on that,” he explained, referencing how Merab capitalized on this weakness by taking Yan down at will. Figueiredo considers himself unpredictable and has been honing his striking skills. He aims to exploit Yan’s mistakes and secure a knockout to earn his shot at the belt.